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ioneer History of 
Springport Township 



Pioneer History 

of 
Springport Township 



A Story of the Settlement of the Township and Che Pioneer Life 

of its People. 



By Ben A. Joy. 



Published by the Sprin^port Signal, Springport, Mich. 

1910 







BEN A. JOY 



The Author was born on section 34, February 18, 1847, and has since 
lived in that immediate vicinity. He has taken an interest in the 
welfare of the town^ship in social, educational and political affairs, 
having held nt-arly all the offices in the gift of his fellow townsmen. 



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Preface 

In presenting- the history of our township the objects of the 
author have been: First, that the recorded word herein should be 
true, as to facts, and as these were secured from personal inter- 
views with several of the pioneers themselves in 1887-8, for publi- 
cation in the Signal, they are as nearly correct as the memories 
of the pioneers, supported by corroberative evidence could make 
them; and second, as by the enterprize of our Signal editor this 
history is to be published in book form, with portraits of the old 
pioneers and other interesting features, the historic facts of the 
early settlement of our beloved township will be preserved for the 
use of the generations that will follow, and to this end we com- 
mend the work for a liberal support of our fellow townsmen, 

Sept. 1910 The Author. 



Original Survey. 



Springport township, legaly known as town one south, of range three west, 
state of Michigan, was surveyed as a township by Depty. U. S. Surveyor Joseph 
Wampler, in January and February 1824. The south and west sides being 
finished at the north-west corner of the township, Jan. 30th, 1824. The follow- 
ing is an abridged copy of the original field survey notes, now on record in the 
office of County Register and Clerk. 

Beg'iimingr at the south-east corner of Sec. 36, the corners of Springrport, Parma, Sandstone 
and Tompkins. The corner witness being- a W. (white) oak. 18 in. (diameter) north 50 deg. east 
4 1. (linlcs); also a w. oal< 17 in. s. 13 deg. e. 47 1., thence w. on s. boundary Sec. 36, at 19 ch. 
(cliains) 5 1. a B. (black ) oak 16 in. ; at 40 ch. set quarter sec. post. Witness b. oak 16 in. n. 73 
deg e 31 1., alsn b. oak 15 i i. ii. 36 d-g. w. 31 1. at 41.08 ch. w. oak 14 in., and at 63.14 b. oak 11 in. 
.•It 80 ch. ■'. t i)()-t <-orn''r sec. 35-36 witness w. oal( 9 in. n. 48 deg. e. 41 1., also w. oak 14 in. n. 62 
deg. w 58 1 rolling oak land. 

West on s. boundary -^ec. 35. at 89 1 Hickovy 9 in. 40 ch. set (ir. post witness w. o^k 14 in. n. TVs 
deg. w 181. and w. oak 15 in. u. 75V2 deg. w. 40 1., at .56 80 w. oak 8 in. at 80 ch. set corner post 
sees. 34 and 35, -witness b. oak 8 in n. 69>^ deg. w. 1 ch. 9 1. Also w. oak 11 in n. 16 deg. e. 92 1. 
rolling oak land ; w. on 8. side sec. 34, at 9 ch. enter swamp at 13 ch. 18 1. Ash 18 in. at 33 ch 50 1. 
stream 12 1. -wide, course north-eist (Springbrook ) at 36 ca. leave swamp at 39 ch. poplar 3" in. 
40 ch. set qr- post, witness w. oak 20 in. n. 37 deg. e. 41 1. also w. oak 21 in. n. 19 desr. w. 51 1. at 52 
ch. 46 1. popular 32 in. at 80 ch. sec post corner sees. 33 and 34, witness hickory 7 in. n. 30 deg. e. 
46 1. also Mr. oak 9 in. n. 73. deg. w. 34 1. good timber land, w. on s. side sec. 33 at 33 ch. w. oak 18 
in. 40 ch. ^et qr. post wi'tiess hickory 5 in. n. 58(4 deg. e. 9 1. also hickory 7 in n. 43% deg. w. 16 1. 
at 45 ch. 14 1. b. oak 7 in at .56 ch. enter marsh, 65 ch. leave marsh 78 ch 14 1 w. oak 13 in. at 80 ch. 
set corner jjost .sees. 32 and 33 witness w. oak 12 in. n. 8 deg. w. 20 1. and b. oak 9 in. n. 74 deg. w. 
2. ch. 48 1. land rolling oak and hickory, w. on s. side sec. 32 at 18 ch. enter marsh, 35 ch. leave 
marsh 40 ch. set qr. pos>t witness b. oak 16 in. n. 10 deg. w. 3 ch. 9 1. also w oak 36 in. n. 2.5° w 3 ch. 
8 1. at 44 ch. 23 1. b oak 7 in. at 50 ch. enter prarie (marsh) 77' l-.-ave prarie 77 ch. 38 1. b oak 15 in. 
80 ch. set post corner sees. 31-32 witness w oak 11 in. n. 32° e 45 1. also w oak 17 in. n. 88'/^° w. 62 
1. l^vel oak and prarie land. 

West on s si'ie sec 31 at 5 cb. 34 1. b oak 14 in 36 ch. 60 1. w oak 12 in. 40 ch. set qr. post, witness 
b oal^ 7 in. n. 21° w 1 ch. 95 1. also b oak 4 in. n. 71° w. 1 ch. 61 1. at 79 ch 86 1 intersect range line 
( County line i 1 ch. 56 1. s of po.st set corner towns 1 and 2, south range 3 and 4 w, witness b. oak 
13 in. n 46° w 42 1. also w oak 14 in. s 34° w 73 1. rolling oak land. West boundary variation 4° 
40 min. n on w side sec. 31, at 17 ch. 29 1. w oak 8 in 30 ch. enter prarie 40 ch. set qr. post in swamp 
no u itntss treis. At 58 ch. 76 1. creek 8 1. wide course n-e 60 ch. leave prarie at 64 ch. 76 1 path 
(Indian tra'l) course e ami w at 80 ch. set corner post sees. 30-31 witness vv oak 16 in. n 11 U"^ w 1 
cii. 68 '. and vv oak 20 in. s 49° w 1 ch. 59 1., land mostly prarie. No th on w side sec. 30 at 2 ch. 
78 1 w oak H in. at 6 ch. fnter prarie at 14 ch. 28 1. creek 15 1. wide cmirse n-w. Rice Creek, 40 eh. 
set qr. post in prari*-. witness w oak 14 in. n Ifi'^ IQ, no other nf-ar, at .56 ch. 79 1. w oxk 14 in. for 
witness, at '.'J ch. leave prarie J-0 ch. set post corner sees. 19 and 30, witness w oak 18 in. s 8'::° w 
17 1. also w o;ik 16 ii'. n 5.1° w 57 1. land mostly prarie. North on w side sec. 19 at 4 ch. ent'»i 
jirarie at 18 ci'. .50 1. Icavi- prarie 19 ch. w i-ak 18 in 40 q'a. set qr. ))o-^t witm^ss.w oak 14 in. s 70° 
w 5.") I. al-o w o k 11 in. n 55° w 65 1. at ;''4 ch. 17 I. b oak 9 in. at 80 ch. set corner post sees. 18-19, 
witnt ss w oak 9 in. s 83° w 86 1. and w o.-ik il in. n 44!'a° w 2 ch 41 1. rolling oak land. 

Nirth on w siiie sec. 18. at 1 ch. 50 1. enter prarie 15 ch. leave prarie 16 ch. 90 1. w oak 18 in. at 
17 ch. 80 1. creek 2 1. wide course w at 40 ch. set qr. post witness b oak 20 in. n 36i4° w 97 1. also b 
oak 21 in. s 55° w 64'/o 1. at 60 ch. 15 1 w oak 11 in. at 61 ch. enter tamarack swamp 80 ch. set 
post corner sees. 7 and IH in marsh witness w oak 14 in. n S'/oO w3 ch. 84 1. also w oak 17 in. n 
28^4° w 4 ch. 76 1. land i-oUing oak and marsh. 

North on w side se--. 7 at 8 ch. leave prarie at 18 ch. 13 1. b oak 17.20 <'h. enter prarie 40 ch. set 
qr. post witness w oak 32 in. n 1° w 9 ch. 7 1. no other witness. At 50 ch. leave prarie .55 ch. 76 1. 
elm 16 in. 60 ch. enter prarie 79 ch. leave prarie 80 ch. set corner post Sf-cs. 6-7 witness b oak 9 in. 
s 71V4° w 34 1. ;\lso b oak 11 in. n ?9° w 47 1. mostly prarie. North on w side sec 6 at 9 ch. 73 1 . w 
oak 17 in. al 32 ch .54 1. w oak 9 in. 40 ch set qr. post witness w. oak 14 in. s 33° w 22 1. w OHk U 



in. n 39° w 25^2 1- at 40 ch. 50 1. w. oak 9 in. at 77 ch. 80 1. intersect base line at towns eomers_ 
Returning to tile startingr point — s-e corner sec. 36 tlie e bnundar.v variation 403.1 min. east_ 
North on e side sec. 36 at 18 cli- 76 1. b. oak 19 in. 40 ch. set qr. post witness b oak 20 in. n 74° w 
15 1. also b. oak 11 in. s 36 deg- w 28 1. at 47 ch. 89 1. b. oak 11.80 ch. set post corner sees. 25 and 
36 witness b. oak 26 in, s 8114 <Jeg. w 68 1 al.so b. oak 11 in. n 2n deg. w. 38 1. rolling oak land. 
North on e side sec. 25 at 10 ch. 80 1. w oak 12 in. 33 eh. 50 1 enter prarie 36 ch. leave prarie 40 ch. 
set qr. post witness w oak 7 in. s 32 deg. w 88 1. and w oak 18 in. n 22 deg. w 22 1. 61 ch. 40 1. path 
Indian trail, course n-e and s-w 67 ch. 80 1. w oak 18 in. 70 ch. enter prarie 80 ch. set post corner 
sees. 24-25 witness b oak 26 in. s 47 deg. w 3 ch 82 1. also w oak 12 in. n 87 deg. w 47 eh. 81 1. land 
rolling oak. North on e side sec. 24 at 6 ch. 50 1. leave prarie 40 ch. set qr. po.st witness w oak 
14 in. s 51 deg. w 10 L and w. oak 30 in. n 14% deg. w 31 1 at 56 ch 7 1. b. oak 16 in. 80 ch. set cor- 
ner post sees. 13 and 24 witness b oak 11 in. s 19 deg. w 1 ch. 2 1. and w oak 14 n 42 '4 deg w 73 1. 
land roiling oak. North on e side sei-. 13 at 1 eh. 89 1. w. oak 36 in. 40 ch. set qr. post, witness b. 
oak 30 in. s 26 deg. w 30 1. and b oak 21 in. n 60 deg. w 44i/? 1. at 53 ch. 23 1. b. oak 10 in. 80 ch set 
corner post sees. 1213, witness b. oak 18 in. n 39 deg. w 301. and b. oak 6 in. s. 78 deg. w. 59 1. 
land rolling oak. 

North on e side sec 12 at 3 ch. 22 1. w oak 11, at 18 ch. enter prarie, 33 ch. leave prai-ie 40 ch set 
qr. post, witness b. oak 32 in. s 29 deg. w. 94 1. and oak 20 in. n. 3 deg. w 1 ch. 70 1. at 54 ch. 87 1. 
hiekoi-y 11 in. .=i5 ch. 501. enter prarie 79 ch. 80 1. leave praire 80 ch. set po.st corner sees. 1 and 
12 witness w oak 18 in s 70 deg. w 1 ch. 27 1 and b oak 11 in. n 41 Va deg. w 2 ch. 151. land roll- 
ing oak. North oh e side sec. 1 at 8 ch. 60 \ path, In<iian trail, course e and w at 18 ch. 50 1. vv 
oak 8 in. 40 ch. set qr. post witness tam 9 in s 28 deg w 5 1 and b oak 11 in n 40!4 deg w 36 ch 50 1 
at 42 ch 44 1 ash 16 in and enter tam. swamp at 53 ch 23 1 tain. 14 in at 66 ch leave swamp 77 ch 55 
I intersect corner at base line, land rolling oak and tamarack swamp n boundary on base line 
variation 4 deg 35 min <■. 

West on n side sec 1 at 6 ch 50 1 enter marsh, 14 ch leave marsh, at 40 ch. set qr post. At 68 ch. 
enter pr.iire, 70 ch. creek, 8 1. wide, course n, 80 ch. set cor post sec 1-2, level oak land. W. on n. 
side sec. 2, at 1 ch. leave prairie, 40 ch. set qr post, 80 ch. set post cor. sec. 2-3. Rolling oak land, 
W. on n, side sec 3 at 40 ch set qr. post. At 44 ch Indian trail, course n-w and s-e. At ,50 ch 70 1, 
creek 30 links wide, Springbrook, cour.se n-w at 76 ch enter prairie, 80 ch set post cor sec 3-4. 

This survey made Feb. 1st 1824— W. on n side see 4 at 20 ch leave prairie, at 40 ch set qr post, at 
66 ch enter prairie, at 68 ch 50 1, creek 35 1 wide, outlet of Cooper lake, coui-se n. At 80 ch set 
cor post sec 4-5, land rolling oak and marsh. West on n. side sec 5 at 1 ch .50 1 leave prairie, at 
40 ch set qr post, 71 ch .50 1 enter tamarack swamp, 80 ch set cor sec 5-6, land oak and swamp. 
40 ch set qr post, 41 ch leave prairie. At 73 ch 50 1 path, course n and s, at 80 ch set car jjost 
towns 1 u. and 1 s. range 3 w. Land rolling oak. 

This survey was probably finished Feb. 2nd, 1824, and the following winter. 
1825, the sectional lines were run by Depty. U. S. Surveyor Lucius Lyons, who 
with John Norvell in 1837, became the first United States Senators from Mich- 
igan. The survey began at the south-east corner of the township, and finished 
at the north-west corner— Jan. 19, 1825— The plan of survey being, to run one 
mile west on the south line, thence north one mile, thence a random line to the 
east town line finding the original section corner stake, returning and correct- 
ing the line west, one mile, thence one mile north, and again the rundom line 
east and return and thus with each section, to the north or base line of the 
township. Then returning to the south town line and pursuing the same plan 
with each course of sections, finishing at the north-west corner. The following 
is a copy of the Surveyor's certificate: 

"In pursuance of a conti-act with, and instructions from Edward TitBn, Surveyor General, of 
the United States, and conformable to the laws of the United States, I have surveyed and sub- 
divided into sections, township No. one south of range No. three west in Deti-oit district, Michi- 
gan Territory, and I certify that the foregoing are correct field notes of the survey of sjiid 
township. 

Certified April 21st, 1825. LUCIUS LYON, Dept Surveyor." 

In the sectional survey the Indian trails were noted and will be described 
later in the work. It will be noticed that the surveys were made n mid-winter, 
when the lakes and low lands were frozen, and the lines could then be better di- 
rected and marked. We cannot too highly commend the fortitude of the sur- 
veying parties, who braved the rigors of the season. With Detroit as the near- 
est point of white settlement, surrounded by the wild beasts and wild men, their 
courage must have been many times put to a severe test, but they did a work 
that yet stands, though nearly all their witness landmarks have fallen in decay. 



The "Old State Road" 

The attention of the Michigan Ter- 
ritorial Council, (then consisting of 
thirteen mennbers only.) was called to 
the importance of Jacksonburgh, by 
Horace Blackman, who had erected a 
house on Grand river there, in 1829. 
An act approved Oct, 29th, 1829, by 
Gov. Lewis Cass, provided that so 
much of the country included south of 
the base-line, and north of the line be- 
tween townships four and five, south 
of the base-line and west of the line 
between ranges two and three, east of 
the meridian, and east of the line be- 
tween ranges three and four west of 
the meridian, be set off into a separate 
county, and the name thereof shall be 
"Jackson," presumably in honor of 
Andrew Jackson, then President of the 
United States. 

At the same session of the Council 
another very important act was the 
laying out of the territorial, or state 
road, running through the new country, 
thus opening a new route for the em- 
igrant north of j^nd parallel with the 
Chicago road. Jhis road was to com- 
mence near the Sheldon's Corners, in 
Wayne county, running in a westerly 
direction, terminating at the mouth of 
the St. Joseph river; along the route of 
the great Indian trail, called the De- 
troit and St. Joe trail. The survey and 
opening of this new road, opened a 
wide field for settlement along the 
whole route on the rich and fertile lands 
of the new counties through which it 
ran. The commissioners appointed to 
locate the road were Col. Orrin White, 
Jonathan F. Stratton andSeeley Neale, 
of Washtenaw county; Stratton was 
appointed surveyor. They commenced 
their work Jan. 4th, 1830, on the farm 
of T. Sheldon, in Wayne county, right- 
ly judging that the winter season 
would be most favorable in crossing 



marshes and streams then frozen over 
and the chaining would be more ac- 
curately done. At Ann Arbor they 
were joined by a party of eight persons, 
who volunteered to accompany them to 
Grand river. The first night from 
Ann Arbor they lodged at Mr. Cle- 
ment's house on Mill creek, then the 
remotest point of settlement, and the 
end of "white man's path;" beyond 
was a vast wilderness. That was 
eighty years ago; to-day the west end 
of the road is where the waves of the 
Pacific wash the strand. 

After fourteen day's work Grand 
river was reached, where the party 
remained two nights in the log house 
erected the fall before by Mr. Black- 
man. The last night of their stay here 
they organized a meeting by electing 
Hon. H. Rumsey as president. He was 
provided with a log for a chair, which 
favor he acknowledged in an appropri- 
ate speech. A committee consisting of 
Messrs. Stratton and White was ap- 
pointed to report a suitable name. 
While the committee were out (on the 
smoky side of the log heap,) the presi- 
dent enjoined the meeting to observe 
due respect, as citizens, and as soon as 
the committee returned and reported 
the name of the village to be built there, 
one should move that the adoption be 
received with nine cheers; hoping that 
their noise would not disturb the neigh- 
bors. The committee soon returned 
and reported "Jack son burgh" as their 
choice of names, which was adopted, 
and "three times three," given with a 
will by the fifteen hearty men then 
present. 

County Organization. 

On the 30lh of July, 1830, an act was 
passed by the Legislative Council, in- 
corporating the township of Jackson- 
opolis, under which name it was known 



until Feb. 18th, 1831, when the Legis- 
lature renamed it Jacksonburgh, in- 
cluding township and county as well. 
On June 26th, 1832, the act of the 
Council organizing the county of Jack- 
son was approved, and ordered to take 
effect the first day of August following. 
In 1833 the countv was divided into 
four townships, -Jacksonburgh, Spring 
Arbor, Napoleon and Grass Lake. In 
October, 183G, the number of towns 
were increased to ten,— Jacksonburgh, 
Concord, Grass Lake, Hanover, Leoni, 
E. Portage, W. Portage. Spring Arbor, 
Napoleon and Sanddtone. In January, 
1837, the village name lost its last syl- 
lable, and became Jackson; while Par- 
ma, Rives and Liberty were added as 
townships. In April, 1838, Pulaski, 
Springport and Tompkins were added, 
and Jacksonburgh was divided into 
Blackman and Summit. 

Naming the Township. 

The honor of furnishing the name 
was claimed by Mr. Augustus Ferris, 
who came here with his brother, Ed- 
mund, in 1837, and made several visits 
here, afterward the name was sug- 
gested, from that of a town of the 
same name on the ^east shore of Cayuga 
lake in the state of New York, also 
from the many springs which gush 
forth their sparkling waters within its 
borders. 

The township of Springport is what 
would be called an oak opening; just 
rolling -enough to carry off all surplus 
water. The soil is varied, being com- 
posed of many different kinds, all pro- 
ductive for the different kinds of grain, 
vegetables, and fruits. The timber is 
burr, white and black or yellow oak, 
beech, maple basswood, and hickory. 
In the early days it was covered with 
heavy timber, with little or no under- 
brush, and natural grass grew in abun- 



dance, making a splendid pasture for 
stock to graze upon. The soil was 
filled with grass roots and very tough, 
so that it required from four to six 
yoke of oxen to break it up, and some 
made it a business to go from place to 
place with their breaking teams and 
plow, plowing for settlers for their 
first crop. 

There were numerous streams and 
marshes which was a great drawback 
for the fir.'-t settlers, caiising much 
sickness, mostly fever and ague, us- 
ually termed "Michigan Ague," or 
"Shaking Ague," and when the shak- 
ing ague once got hold of a man he 
would fairly shake the building, and 
it took a pretty nervy man to remain 
and defy it. 

For more than seventy-five years the 
sun has spread its rays upon the beauti- 
ful and productive farms. For seventy- 
five years the rain has fallen on the 
just and the unjust, since the first 
white man set his foot upon the soil of 
the now, beautiful anrl productive 
township of Springnort. Three-fourths 
of a century has passed since the wood- 
man's ax was first raised against the 
sturdy oak, of this, at that time d'-nse 
wilderness, and little did he think, that 
he was opening up a coun.ry. wh"s° re- 
sourses would far surpass th(> produc- 
tiveness of any count r\-, inhabilant*. il 
by man His thou'jhts d;d not si-iMn to 
wander in that riin clion. His only iilca 
was to make him a homt- whcr'' he 
could produce sufficient for liis r*:^ilv 
wants and that of his fanily, and 
where he could breath*^ the fn-f ^ir 
and gaze upon his broad acr. s, nn- 
trampled and with the dignity v± a 
king. His only neighbors were the 
untutored Indian, and his only fear w^as 
the wolves, whose savage howls greet- 
ed his ears as he threw himself upon 
his rude couch for a few hours' rest 
from his daily toils. Soon others ven- 



5. 



tured upon the scene and captivated by 
the prospect of a home, that th^y too 
conld call their own, followed in his 
wake and commenced to fell the trees 
and l)nild their homes. Slow but sure 
was the progress, hardships without 
numb'-r were encountered and over- 
come, until to-day we are numbered as 
one of the best in the state. Roads 
were opened up, mills and school houses 
built, railroads constructed and a vil- 
Iag:e grew to large proportions, until 
to-dpy the business surpasses anything 
that they, in their early anticipations, 
could have possibly hoped to see. 

The First Blow. 

The honor of the first blow struck 
undoubtedly belongs to John S. Com- 
stock, who died at this place Feb. 14, 
1890. Mr. Comstock gave his state- 
ment in a letter as follows: "I have 
not attained an earthly glory or fame 
in this town or elsewhere, but if any 
credit is due to a pioneer, I am the 
very first who made a location here. 

In the fall of 1830 I helped in building 
the first bridge in the township, since 
known as Lima Center. Gen. Asa 
Williams was the first, and I the 
second, v?ho located in that town. 

About March 10, 1835, I hired Judge 

Valentine of Sandstone, to come with 

me to Springbrook to help me look out 

a place, for he was the man most used 

to tracing the (Survey) lines where no 

settlement or land had yet been taken 
up. 

I went down to the land office at 
Monroe, Mich., with the numbers of 
two eighties and a forty, (w J of s w 
J of sec. 27 and e ^ and n w J of s e J, 
sec. 28, now owned by Geo. W. Mvers.) 
The land agent said I had awhile town- 
ship to select from for no nne had made 
a location before me in this township." 

My nearest neighbor was nt'ac(n 
Townly, in Tompkins. My next neigh- 



bor wa«« Capt. Dean, who lived in 
Sandstone, four miles north of Parma 
village. Mr. Harrison came next to 
me, and held meetings in his own house 
before we had a school house built. I 
remember this from one remark made 
by one Mr. Wilson, whom I had hired 
with his two yoke of oxen to help me 
break ten acres in the south-west cor* 
ner of section 27, in the fall of 1835. 
He came from Concord to help me. 
When Sunday cime Wilson said to me, 
"Oil and water won't mix." I had 
said to him, "Why go so far to meet- 
ing when we have one near by at Mr. 
Harrison's?" This was in the summer 
or early fall of 1835, breaking for my 
wheat crop. 

By means of a recommendtaion of 
Caleb M. Chapel, (my brother-in-law,) 
who had been to Springbrook on a hunt 
for wild game, he thought it a good 
place for a location, the place was then 
called by the people of Sandstone, 
"Spring Brook" either that name or 
Springfield would have been my choice 
as more applicable. 

I was not only the first land owner in 
this town, but the only man who raised 
any garden or crop in this township in 
the summer of 1835. I had hired Dea- 
con Townly and one of his sons, 
(Richard,) early in the spring of 1835, 
to break two acres north of my house 
for a garden. If anyone would know the 
troubles of pioneer life, let them en- 
quire of me. The next world will un- 
fold it. Therefore I think to rob me 
of the honor which is due him who first 
opens the door, is not just. 

I am the only man who raised any 
garden or crop in this t^^wnship in the 
summer of 1835. The plac? was them 
called by the people of Sandstone 
"Springbrook." Either that name or 
S))ringfield would have been my choice 
as more applicable. I was not only the 



6. 



first land-holder in this town, but the 
first of all my acquaintances who made 
a home in Michigan. I found my broth- 
er, Fitch B. Comstock, in Brockport, 
N. Y , and persuaded him to come with 
me to Michigan. He left his business 
and came out; stopped a little while 
with me, then went back to Buffalo, 
N. Y., and married; returned and 
lived with me one year, and then 
bought a farm in Sandstone, joining C. 
M. Chappell's. 

Rev. Wm. Crane, a non-sectarian 
minister, came to my place in the sum- 
mer of 1835, while we lived in the 
shanty, and preached at private houses 
until the school house was built, then 
he preached there. Some time after he 
settled on a farm near Eaton Rapids, 
and died at Pentwater, Mich." 

In a county history published in 1881, 
others are credited with having made 
the first settlement in the township to 
which Mr. Comstock verly justly took 
exceptions. The Deland history pub- 
lished in 1903 is no better in matter of 
facts of our early settlers than that of 
1881. 

The first of April following, Mr. 
Comstock, accompanied by James A. 
Preston and family, moved onto Mr. 
Comstock's lands, locating near a spring 
about i mile north-west of the Landon 
school house, where they erected two 
rude shanties. Their lodging was made 
by placing one end of large pieces of 
bark on a fallen tree, underneath which 
they slept while the shanties were in 
course of building, (Mrs. Comstock 
and her children remained with Mr. 
Fitch Comstock, in Sandstone, until the 
latter part of the following June. Mrs. 
Margaret Preston being the first white 
woman to enter the township ) 

Early in April, 1835, Mr. Comstock, 
accompanied by Jas. Preston and fami- 
ly, located near a spring on section 28, 
where they erected two shanties. In 



the autumn following Mr. Comstock 
built a log house near where Geo. 
Myers' house now stands. In the win- 
ter of '36-7 he built the first barn, let- 
ting the job to Rev. M. Harrison. 
The payment was forty acres of land 
on north-west one-fourth section 35. 

Mr. Comstock continued his resi- 
dence and labors here until the 
spring of 1855, when he sold his 
place and removed to Beaver Island, 
Mich., returning in the spring of 1856, 
and with the exception of short inter- 
vals resided as an honored and re- 
spected citizen until his death. 

In the autumn of 1835 more com- 
modious dwellings were erected, Mr. 
Comstock's near the present farm resi- 
dence of Geo. W. Myers, and Mr, 
Preston's J mile east, just back of the 
tenant house of Mr. Joy. 



We introduce here a letter from John 
Preston, of Ft. Atkinson, Wis., son of 
the above James A. Preston, which 
contains considerable information on 
this subject: 

Ft. Atkinson, Wis., Dec. 25, '87. 
Ben a. Joy, 

Dear Sir:— Your favor of the 16th 
inst., at hand, asking information, 
which is of course interesting to all 
concerned. You directed your letter to 
my brother, J. L., but he asked me to 
answer you in his behalf, as he is to 
leave here in the morning to be gone 
some time. We talked it over to-day 
and many of your questions I can 
answer alone, and what transpired be- 
fore I can remember James informed 
me of. 

I was 53 years old last February, be- 
ing born in Lima, Washtenaw Co., 1834. 
I was one year old in February, and the 
following April my people came to, 
now Springport, then Sandstone, as 
they were in one township, including 



Parma and Tompkins. This of course 
must iiave been in April, 1835. 

My mother was the first and only 
white woman in Springport, for three 
months nearly, as Mrs. Ruth Comstock 
stopped at his (Comstock 's) brother's, 
Fitch Comstock, and stayed until the 
latter part of June, 1835. J. S Com- 
stock and my father and family came 
on to Springport and they built two 
shanties down by the swamp, by what 
was called Comstock's spring, about 
one-half mile north-west of the Landon 
school house, (Dist. No. 1,) on now, I 
suppose, Geo. Myers' place. My father 
built the log house, which you must 
remember stood back of the new one, 
and moved into it in the fall of 1835. 
This was before my recollection, but 
James remembers it well. 

In 1836 Jonathan Hammond and 
Archibald Dixon came in. Dixon built 
the tamarack house down by the creek; 
lived there only a year, then moved 
down to the place in the Whitman dis- 
trict. And in 1838 or '39 Charlotte 
Whitman, (Sibley, if now living,) 
taught school in the old Dixon house 
by the Creek, and I went to school with 
Mary Ann, and wore my dresses. This 
I can remember well, as before school 
closed mother made me a waist and 
pants, of factory colored with oak bark, 
and I remember Miss Whitman gave 

me a sound whipping the first day with 
my new pants on. 

You ask by whom, when and where 

was the first saw mill. It was on 

Sprmgbrook, one-half mile below the 

bridge where it crosses the creek east 

of your place, and was built and owned 

by Priest Harrison in 1836. In 1837 it 

was sold to M. S. Brown, who run it 

until 1842, when the pond caused so 

much sickness that Comfort Joy, S. H. 

Ludlow, Herman Landon and others 

waited upon Mr. Brown, asking him to 

remove said dam, which he naturally 



refused to do, and on the evening of 
the 9th day of April, 1842, David and 
Alonzo Joy, in company with James L. 
Preston, took it upon themselves to 
wait upon the "dam until the water 
could pass through," and the dam was 
not rebuilt. Jacob Hoffman, (Levi's 
brother,) was the first and last sawyer. 

J. S. Comstock built the first barn 
in 1836-7, on his own place. The first 
sermon preached in the Landon school 
house was by elder Bement, a Presby- 
terian. Soger Inman killed the first 
bear near the Deyoe place, in the fall 
of 1836. Indians and gray wolves were 
the only neighbors my people had at 
first. Thomas Cranson, aunt Betsey 
Landon 's brother, lived in Tompkins, 
seven miles from our people. The 
Pottawatamie Indians were the only 
tribe there, and old Wam-pe-zeek was 
the chief, and they camped down by 
what was called Wolfe spring, near the 
town line of Parma. And when they 
left they took a kettle of mother's, and 
the only gun that my father ever owned 
with them, which they kept. 

The people in 1836-7 began to move 
in very rapidly, and in 1840 the first 
general election was held, in the Lan- 
don school house. I remember General 
Harrison was elected over VanBuren as 
president. Father went to Sandstone 
at first to vote, and he had to go to 
Dexter to mill. Herman Landon 
brought some cart wheels and he made 
an axletree and body, which he used, 
to lend to the neighbors. Mr. Landon 's 
cart had to stand the racket for all. 
There never was a better neighbor 
than Herman Landon, and one who did 
all he could for the poor. 

I have here given you, to the best of 
I our recollection, the true history of the 
founders of Springport. 

Yours very truly 

John C. Preston. 



The First Deed 

The following is a copy of the deed issued to Mr. Comstock, the first one 
given for land in Springport towns-hip: 

Certificate THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 

No. 5013 To all to wliom these Presents shall come, Greeting: 

Whereas, John 8. Comstock, of Washtenaw County, Michigan Territory, has deposited in the 
General Land Office of the United Slates, a Certificate of the Register of the Land Office at 
Monroe, whereby it appears that fnll payment has been made by the said John 8. Comstock. ac- 
cording to the provisions of the Act ol Congress of the 2-lth of April, 1820, entitled "An Act mak- 
ing furthur provision for the sale of the Public Lands," for the east half of the south-east quarter 
and the north-west quarter of the south-east quarter of sectioti twenty-eight, in township one, south 
of range three west, in the district of lands subject to sale at Monroe, Michigan Territory, containing 
one hundred and twe7ity ac7'es, according ti> the otBcia.1 pUitof the siirvey of the said Lands, re- 
turned to the general land office by the Surveyor General, which said tract has bten purchased 
by the said John 8. Comstock, NOW KNOW YE, That the United States of America, in considera- 
tion of the Premises, and in conlormity with the several acts of Congress, in su< h case made 
and provided, Have Given And Granted, and by these presents Do Give And Grant, unto the 
&?k\di Johns. Comstock, SiTaA. to his heirs, the said tract above described: To Have and To Hold 
the same, together with all the rights, privileges, immunities, and appurtenances of whatso- 
ever nature, thereunto belonging, unto the said ./o/i» *S. t'oms^ocA, and to Ais heirs and assigns 
forever. 

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I, Martin F«n5w«i, President of the United States of America, 
have caused these letters to be made Patent, and the Seal of the General Land Office to be hei-e- 
unto affixed. 

Given under my hand, at the City of Washington, the eighteenth day of March, in the 
Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven and of the Indepen- 
dence of the United States the sixty-first. 

BY THE PKFSIDENT; Martin VanBuren, 

Wm. Garland, Recorder oi the General Land Office. By A. Van Barber, Sec, 



< Seal t 



a 



The Three Johns. 




JOHN BARTON 



JOHN OYER 



JOHN COMSTOCK 



Happoning to meet on the street some twenty-five years ago, and answering 
the suggestion of a friend, they entered the gallery and had the above taken. 
Their biographies appear below. 



10. 



Biographical Sketches 



John S. Comstock. 

John Scott Com5tock, was horn in 
the town of Montvillp, New London 
county, Conn., Feb. 20, 1801, whore 
his boyhood was passed, and until the 
spring: 1819. when he went to Newport, 
N. H., and attended a term of pchool. 
He tauprht the winter term of 1821 22 
at Leminipter, N. H., and afterward 
went to New Haven, Conn., where he 
resided two and one-h^tlf years; thence 
removing to Philadelphia, where he 
worked at comb-making. In March 
1826, he returned to Salem, Conn., and 
taught school the following winter. In 
the spring of 1827 he went to Andover, 
Conn., where he worked at farming 
summers and taught school winters un- 
til 1830, with the exception of the short 
time he acted as traveling bo'^k agent 
in the states of Connecticut and Massa- 
ehusetts. In the fall of 1830 he came 
t-» Michigan, settling in Lima township 
Washtenaw county. He taught the 
winter term of 1831-32 at Barry. In 
November, 1833. he married Miss Ruth 
Eastman, who then reisided in Lima. 
Four children were born to them ; Rhoda, 
now Mrs. O. V. Hammond, Maria J., 
now Mrs. J. Whitman; and two boys 
who died young. Mrs.. Comstock died 
at the home of her daughter, Mrs. 
Hammond, Dec. 26, 1886, full of years 
and much respected by all who new 
her. Mr. Comstock died at the resi- 
dence of his daughter, Mrs. O. V. 
Hammond, Feb. 16, 1891. 



James A. Preston. 

The second settler of Springport, was 

\ born in Poultney, Rutland county, Vt. 

June 9, 1790 In early life he moved to 



Volney, Oswego county, N. Y., where 

he married, and early in the thirties 

came lo Michigan, locating at Lima. 
Washtenaw county. He resided here 
until the spring of I'^SS, when vvith his 
family he accompanied Mr. J. S. Corn- 
stock to the then unbroken wilderness 
of Springport. Mr. Preston mfde his 
location on a part of the Comstock 
tract, one-fourth mile east of the Lnn- 
■^on school house. In Ihe fall ff 1835 
he built a log house, in which he lived 
until about the year 1857. when he 
built the frame house yet standing. In 
October, 1864, he sold his place and re- 
sided with his childrpn until his death, 
which occurred at the home of his pon. 
•lames, at Ft. Atkinson, Wis., Nov. 19, 
1876. Mr. Preston assisted in the 
organization of the township, and was 
honored with several of her places of 
trust, all of wh'ch he efficiently filled. 
He was a man of sterling integrity, 
whose word was as good as his bond. 
He also insisted (and in several cases 
quite potently) that his fellow man 
should keep faith and word in their 
dealings with him. His wife Miss 
Margaret Trim, was born in Utica, N. 
Y., April, 1796, whet-e it is presumable 
she lived most of her single life. Of 
the children born to them, Cornelia, 
(Mrs, A. P. Bucklin), of Ypsilanti, 
James, L., of Ft. Atkinson, Wis,, 
Louisa, Edward and Mary Ann (Mrs. 
Crossfield, of St. Paul, Minn.) were 
born at Volney, N. Y. ; John C, at 
Lima, Mich., and their youngest, Ma- 
tilda, now of Minneapolis, was born 
here in 1837. Mrs. Preston, or "Moth- 
er Preston," es she was familiarly 
called, was a representative of that 
Christian type who carry their reli- 
gious principles into every-day deeds of 
love and kindness. She early united 
with the Methodist church, and bore 
with true Christian fortitude the many 



11. 



tria's an^i deprivations inoident to 
jioncer lif<', «nd richly won the many 
encomiums hf r neighbors and friends 
»xtended. She died, as she had pre- 
dicted, in the harness, suddenly, at her 
old homo, Oct. 18, 1864. Her kind 
words and good deeds will ever be re- 
membered by a'l who knew her. 



Ebenezer Brown. 

The third settler of Sprinerport. was 
born in the town of Dryden, Tomp- 
kins county, N. Y., in 1788. He lived 
near Ithaca and at Ludlowville, where 
he worked at hi** trade— blacksmith- 
iner. He came to Sprinprport in the 
summer of 1835, locatinpj the east one- 
half of the north-east one-fourth of 
section 33, and the west one-half of the 
north-west one-fourth of section 34, 
and built a shanty near the farm 
residence of Mr. B. G. Brown, section 
34, where he lived about six months, 
and then sold his lands to Hermon Lan- 
don. He then tecated other farms in 
the townships of Parma and Sandstone, 
soon returning to Tompkins county, 
where he lived until 1848. He then 
came again to Michigan, settling on 
section 2, Parma. He soon after re- 
moved to Spring A.rbor, where with 
the exception of short intervals, he re- 
sided until his death, which occured 
Aug. 16, 1853. He married Miss 
Elizabeth Goodin, who died in 1836. 
Their family were Amos H., Lewis, 
who died at Parma, Oct. 1876, Geo. D., 
who died at Jackson, and Wm. G., of 
Parma, who died Dec. 5, 1899. 



Rev. Marcus Harrison, 

Was born in Connecticut, in 1795. Was 
a graduate of Yale and Andover Theo- 
logical Seminary: He filled several 
pulpits in New England. Coming to 
Michigan in 1830, was the feurth to 



locate here. In the late summer or 
early autumn of 1835, he selected lands 
on sections 26 ard 27, built a log house 
in thf road just in front of. the present 
house of Ward S. Brown on section 27. 
In the fall and winter of 1836-7 he built 
a saw mill on Springbrook, which did a 
thriving (though slow) business in 
furnishing lumber for the first buildings 
erected in the township. In the spring 
of 1837 he exchanged farms with Bost- 
wirk and Michael S. Brown, he moving 
to the one exchanged for, one mile 
east of the Wright school house in 
Parma township. Soon after he moved 
to Jackson, purchasing a farm on 
Moody hill, upon which he built a house 
and cultivated; taking an active part 
in church work, being an eloquent and 
aggressive preacher of the Presbyterian 
faith. He suffered many petty perse- 
cutions for his fearless dennounciations 
of intemperance and other evils. At 
the close of his work in Jackson he 
moved to Decatur, Van Buren county, 
where he died of consumption, in 1874, 
being 79 years of age. 



Herman Landon, 

The fifth settler here, was born in the 
state of Connecuticut, Jan. 23, 1799. 
While a child his parents moved to the 
town of Scipio, Cayuga county, N. Y., 
where he grew to manhood. Having 
acquired his education he taught sever- 
al terms of school, also working at the 
carpenter's trade. In September, 1835, 
he came to Springport, and purchased 
the farms of Ebenezer Brown, sections 
33 and 34, to which ' he added a con- 
siderable tract. Mr. Landon was a 
man of sterling qualities and com- 
manded the respect of all who knew 
him. He bore a prominent part in the 
organization of the township, and held 
one or more of the oflRces most continu- 
ly until his death, which occured Sept. 



12. 



14, 1852. March 20, 1828, he married 
Miss Betsy Cranson, who was born 
Aug. 22, 1808, in Madison county N. Y. 
While young her parents moved to 
Cayuga county, N. Y. Mrs. Landon 
lived on the farm, where she settled in 
September 1835, until her death, a con- 
sistent Christian, with a kind word for all 
whom she met. She early joined the 
Methodist church, with which she com- 
muned until 1863, when she united with 
the Seventh-Day Adventists. She died 
at the old home Jan. 5, 1901. The 
childred of Mr. and Mrs. Landon— Lu- 
cindia, Mrs. Wm. G. Brown, born Feb. 
20, 1829; George, born April, 1830, died 
June 9, 1885; William, born Jan. 5, 1832, 
died Sept. 25, 1833; John, born Nov. 9, 
1833, died March 13, 1871. Of Spring- 
port's many citizens, living or dead, 
for good examples of lif», public spirit 
and enterprise, none have been more 
esteemed than George and John Lan- 
don, whose untimely deaths were most 
generally mourned. The township 
could ill spare such as they. 



mira, Mrs. Henry Towsley. Stillman 
and Almira died many years since. Mr. 
Hammond cleared and improved the 
farm he had taken up, and to which he 
added another a mile south on section 
33, where he died Sept. 3, 1867. His 
wife died Sept. 8, 1881. 



Simon Barrett 

Came to Springport from Summit coun- 
ty, Ohio, in the fall of 1835. Located 
on section 25, where he built a shanty, 
and shortly after a log house, remnant 
of which is yet standing. His family 
consisted of his wife, four girls and 
three boys. Mr. Barrett died in 1837, 
after which his family moved to Ohio. 



Jonathan A. Hammond 

Was born in Providence, R. I., Aug. 
14, 1800, where he lived until he moved 
to Allegany county N. Y., remaining 
there until the spring of 1835, when he 
came to Washtenaw county, Mich., and 
in the autumn following came to Spring- 
port, locating lands on sections 32 and 
33. He built the first frame house in 
that vicinity. During the time of build- 
ing his fir«t residence fef* resided with a 
Mr. Smith, who had a residence on 
section 31, near the White school house 
Mr. Hammond married Miss Esther 
Turtblott. who was born in Providence, 
May 3, 1799. She was a great-grand- 
daughter of the renowned Roger 
William^. Four children were born to 
tbem: Willi.tm, Stillman, Elizabeth, 
now Mrs. Mr^. T evi Huffman, and Al- 



James M. Jameson 

Came from the state of New York. 
Arrived in Springport Dec. 31, 1835. 
and soon after located the east half of 
section 13. In the spring of 1836 he 
erected a log house, which was oc- 
cupied by John E. Barton and family 
the first summer. Mr. Jameson taught 
school during the winter seasons until 
1841, in the spring of which year he 
married Miss Loretta Townley, of 
Tompkins, moving immediately on his 
farm, which he continued to improve, 
making it one of the best in Spring- 
port. Mr. Jameson was early identified 
with the political affairs of the town- 
ship, and held several important offices 
until the year 1865, when he removed 
to Jackson, where he resided about 
five years and then returned to his 
farm, remaining until the spring of 
1877, when he again removed to Jack- 
son, where he died Sept. 13, 1886. 



Augustus F. Gaylord 

Was born in Aurora, Cayuga county, 
N. Y., June 11, 1806, where he resided 
until 1830, when he moved to Five 



13. 



west part of the city, where he owned 
a nursery farm. Mr. Gaylord was an 
enthustast as a horticulturist, and for 
many years was an active member of 
the State Horticultural Society. 

Mr. Gaylord was one of the voters at 
the first town meeting held here — spring 
of 1838. The first religious meetings 
within the village boundary were held 
at his house weekly, in 1836-7. He as- 
sisted in erecting the first school' house 
in this district, about one mile south of 
the corners, also the old red school 
building that stood near where the 
Oyer house now stands. Mr. Gaylord 
was a man of integ^'ity and purity of 
character. His death occured at his 
home in Eaton Rapids, July 14, 1888. 

Wm. Jennings 

Came to Springport Feb. 1, 1836, lo- 
cating the south one-half of the south- 
east one-fourth of section 2f>, which he 
improved, and where he resided until 
Fpbruary, 1870, when he removed to 
Kansas. Mr. Jennings is remembered 
as an honorable Christian gentleman, 
and one of the founders and pillars of 
the Presbyterian church of Tompkins 
and Springport. He died at his home 
in Kansas in 1883. 



Archibald Dixon 
Was born near Bennington, Vt., July, 
1786 When about ten years old his 
parents moved to Chenango county, N. 
Y. , where he resided until his 23rd year, 
when he removed to Courtlandville, 
Courtland county, N. Y., and in the 
spring or early summer of 1836 came to 
Springport, locating on the south-west 
corner of the north-west one-fourth of 
section 27, where he built a house 
(known after as the tamarack house) 
and there resided one year. He then 
moved to section 9, building a log house 
near where his son, Joseph W., latter 
resided. Mr. Dixon was a consistent 



Christian and member of the Baptist 
church. He died Ang. 10, 1847. 



John E. Barton 

Was bom in Putnam county, N. Y., 
June 14, 1813. In 1828 his father re- 
moved to Lyons, Wayne county, N. Y., 
where he passed the next seven years. 
In the fall of 1835 he married Miss 
Elizabeth Barton, and in May following 
they started for Michigan, with a view 
of making themselves a home in the 
west. They came by canal and steam- 
boat to Detroit, and from there by 
wagon to Springport, living until De- 
cember following in the new log house 
of Jas. M. Jameson, Mr. Barton work- 
ing by the month for Dayid Adams, of 
Tompkins. In December he erected a 
dwelling near where his present resi- 
dence now stands, section 13. Mr. 
Barton has a fine farm of 320 acres, 
most of which is under a good state of 
cultivation. Mr* Barton died Feb. 12, 
1890. 



Edmund Ferris 

Was born in Genoa, N. Y* Dec. 23j 
1805. Came to Springport in 1836, set^ 
tling on section 20, built a log house on 
the ground on which Mrs. Janette Fitz- 
Gearld's home now stands. He soon 
after exchanged the lands now lying on 
the south side of Main street, for the 
farm on the north-east one-fourth of 
section 20 now owned by L. D. Markle, 
built the house and improved the large 
and valuable farm, which he owned at 
the time of his death. He assisted in 
the organization of the township and 
held nearly all the offices in the town- 
ship goverment. He died at the old 
home Oct. 10, 1885. 



John Oyer 

John Oyer was born in the city of 
Easton, Pa., Jan. 9, 1819. While a 



14. 



child his parents removed to the town 
of Genoa, Cayuga county, N. Y. , where 
he lived until the autumn of 1836, when 
he came to Springport, where he re- 
sided until- his death, Jan. 20, 1889. 
He was one who helped to organize the 
township government, being one of the 
voters at the first township meeting. 
The greater part of the present im- 
provements of this village are due to 
the public spirit and enterprise of Mr. 
Oyer. 

Samuel Inman 
Purchased the place of Andrew Smith 
ori north- eaot one-fourth Sec. 31, when 
he soon af ten started an iron foundry 
using* charcoal for the heat purpose 
utilized by a large bellows run by hand 
power, a superior article of castings 
are said to. have been produced by this 
crude furnace. Nathaniel Hicks a late 
resident here was the helper in the 
foundry. 

Josiah Whitman 

Was a Canadian by birth, which oc 
cured Nov. 1777. With his two sons, 
Clark R., John M. and Josiah Jr., 
came to Springport in 1837, living with 
his son, Clark R., land on Section 9, 
which they improved and made com- 
fortable homes, and upon which Mr. 
Whitman lived to the age of 94 years, 
until he died Dec. 25th, 1871. He was 
instrumental in organizing our township 
government, being elected the first 
supervisor in April 1838. He was a 
member of the fraternal order of Ma- 
sons for many years. ^ 



David D. Gillett 
W^s born" in Allegany Co., N. Y., 
August L793, where he spent his early 
years. He later engaged in a woolen 
mill, which being on a stream was 
twice destroyed by freshets, ,not re- 
building after the second experience, 



and soon after moving to Michigan, 
settling on Section 33, Springport, 
where he engaged in farming. At one 
time he made a specialty d raising 
peppermint, erecting a still for extract- 
ing the oil, on the present farm of Mrs. 
Geo. Bois and ju^t east of the residence 
of Arthur L. Landon. About the year 
1845 Mr. Gillett sold and moved to Sec- 
tion 24, where he cleared a farm which 
he owjaed at the time of his death 
which occured while on a visit to 
friends in Leoni, Oct. 23rd, 1868. 



Josiah Whitman Jr. 

T,o(;at;ed a valuable, farm on Section 
29 in 1837. He was born in Ontario, 
Canada, July 17, 1807. Married Miss 
Keziah Drake, March 1st, 1829. Mr. 
Whitman was a man of fine character, 
and did well his part in the work of 
township organization, holding many 
important offices during his life. He 
died at his old home Nov. 3, 1859, his 
wife surviving him many years, passing 
away May 1st, 1896. 



John ,E. Dey 

who located on Section 28, assisted in 
building the first frame structures in 
the township, afterward moving to 
Parma township, his wife, Mrs. Maria 
Dey, teaching the first school in this 
town, 1838. 

.^A ' 

Henry and Rhoda Pope 

Came to Michigan from Wayne Co., 
N. S. in 1838. Settled on Section 24, 
on a part of the farm now owned by 
Mrs. J. S. Pope, later their son, Christo- 
pher, cariie'arid located lands adjoining 
that of his father.'" They had the hard 
experiences &f the early pioneers, but 
by industry and firm quality, made a 
com'fortable home. Thev were among 
the charter members of the church of 
their name just across in Tompkins and 



15. 



were leaders of the church work there 
until their death. The mother, Rhoda. 
passing away May 2nd 1847, aged 62 
years. Mr. Pope following Jan. 23, 
1853, aged 69 years. 



Daniel Griffith 

The ancestor of this family en?igrated 
from Waif s at an early period of^ our 
Colonial history, and settled in Rhode 
Island. Later members of the family 
moved to Danby, Vermont, where 
Daniel Griffith was born in 1803, in 1837 
he decided to cast his lot with the 
people of the-then-new state of Michi- 
gan, coming overland to Buffalo, then 
by steam boat to Detroit, thence by 
;^rf , team and wagon to section 2, Spring- 
port, where he located a fine' large 
farm, which he proceeded to improve 
under the difficulties "iricident to pioneer 
life. Mr. Griffith transported his first 
wheat crop to Xnn Arbor, 60 miles 
from his farm. Hie ^vas a man of up- 
right character, one of the lounders 
and a life long member of the Metho- 
dist church that bears his name, near 
the old home. In politics Mr. Griffith 
was a Whig and after the dissolution of 
that party became one of the charter 
members of the Republican party. 
His five .sons, Hosia W. , George T., 
Phing W., Marshall and Henry EK, 
were all substantial citizens, who lived 
and died honored and respected in the 
vicinity of their father s homestead. 
Mr. Griffith died March 1878. 



Luther Landon 

Was born in Cppn., in 1798, married 
Miss Clarissa Tracy, of ScipiOj N. Y. , 
about 1830. Came to Springport in the 
spring of 1837, locating the farm at 
present owned by Lewis E. Landon, on 
section 19, built a log house just west 
of the horse barn n6w on' the farm, and 
began clearing and 'otherwise improv- 



ing the large and valuable farm now 
owned by Mr, L. E. Landon. Mr. Lan- 
don was prominent in the orginazation 
of the township government, and held 
several of the offices of the town. His 
family consisted of his wife and three 
children— Sarah, Ezekiel A., and 
Martha. The latter being the only sur- 
viver of the family. Mr. Landon died 
in August 1855, his wife following Aug. 
9, 1878. 



Stephen H. Ludlow 

Stephen H. Ludlow located on sec- 
tions 26 and 27 in the autumn of 1837. 
Mr. Ludlow was prominent in town- 
ship affairs, holding offices nearly the 
whole time to his death, April 19, 1886. 



Joseph Dennis 

In the year 1838, Joseph Dennis with 
his brother, Corneilus, and family came 
to Springport, locating the north-east 
one-fourth and the east one-half of the 
west one-half of section one. Together 
they built a log house, clearing and 
cultivating the soil for crops. In 1840 
Corneilus located land on the north- 
east one-fourth of section 12, now 
owned by E. 0. Price. Joseph Dennis 
was a millright, working at his trade 
in Jackson, Homer and neighboring 
villages. In the spring of 1840, he re- 
turned to the farm, and kept batche- 
lors hall till the following fall, when he 
married Miss Mary Evans, with whom 
he had become acquainted, while work- 
ing at Homer, and whose parents were 
English, and came to this state in 1838, 
with her sister, Mrs. Warren Sheldon, 
who located on section 5, in Parma. 
Mrs. Dennis used often to relate in 
after years, their experience with bears 
and wolves while living in Parma. Mr. 
Dennis died in 1847, during an epidem- 
ic of erysipelas. Sickness was no un- 
common thing those days, but the ear- 



''Oi- rt'i^r^.. 



16. 



ly settlers were generous and kind, the 
sick being provided with an abundance 
of kind hearted and sympathetic attend- 
ance. Besides his wife, Mr. Dennis 
left tjw[A little daughters to mourn his 
JlQS8.,;?£ydia, born in 1843, and Sarah 
Amanda, born in 1845 Lydia yet sur- 
viving. Sarah having died in 1859. 
Five years after her first husband's 
death, Mrs. Dennis married Francis 
Bodine. In the following summer they 
built the upright and wing of the pres- 
ent home of Elmer D. Fuller Section 
one. Mr. Bodine died Sept. 24, 1857, 
the widow and daughters letting the 
farm to be tilled, but continuing their 
residence there till the fall of 1865, 
when Lydia married Mr. Warren Fuller, 
the mother then went to live with her 
sister, Mrs. Sheldon, in Parma. In 
1874 she retunred and built the house 
just west of Otter Creek, where she 
lived until her death Jan, 24, 1879, her 
remains lie beside her first husband in 
the adjoining burial ground, the land 
for which was set off by Joseph Dennis 
and Daniel Griffith. Mr. and Mrs. 
Fuller yet reside on the old homestead, 
where they are enjoying the afternoon 
of their active lives, surrounded bv all 
the conveniences of modern times which 
' their labors have justly earned. Their 
son, Elmer D., having charge of the 
well improved and productive farm. 

Stephen B. Crawford 
Stephen B. Crawford located lands 
on section 4 in the fall of 1836, where 
he partly completed a dwelling. Wint- 
er closing in he went to Adrian, again 
returning in the spring of 1837 to find 
his dwelling in ashes. He rebuilt the 
following year and began house keep- 
ing Feb. 14, 1839. Mr. Crawford was 
one of Springport's prominent citizens 
and did much in the development of her 
resources. He died at the old farm in 
1891. 



Comfort Joy 

The second son of Daniel Joy, who 
was a Revolutionary soldier under Gen. 
Washington, wps born in Guilford, Vt., 
April 23rd, 1787, with his father's 
family moved to Fabius, Onondaga Co., 
N. Y., in Feb. 1800. Dec. 27th, 1810 
he married Mary Breiner, of Weston- 
burgh, Bucks county. Pa. He lived at 
Ridgeway, Yates and Evans N. Y., at 
which places he worked as a miller, 
moving to Springport from the latter 
place in June 1839, with his family and 
settling on the east one-half of the 
north-east one-fourth of section 34, 
having made a visit here the preceed- 
ing April accompanied by his son, 
David C, and daughter, Harriet, and 
her husband, Luthur H. Ludlow. His 
wife died March 28, 1844, being the 
first to be hurried in the Presbyterian 
cemetery in Tompkins. The year fol- 
lowing he married Mrs. Cynthia Thorn- 
dike and lived on her farm near Gales- 
burgh, Kalamazoo county until his 
death, Aug. 9, 1869. He was an active 
member of the Presbyterian church be- 
ing one of the founders of the old church 
of that faith, in Tompkins township. 

Luther H, Ludlow 

Was born in the village of Ludlow- 
ville, Tompkins county, N. Y., July 10, 
1814. His grand father, Thomas Lud- 
low, after whom the village was named, 
settled there in 1793. John and Re- 
becca Townley-Ludlow, were his par- 
ents. The first 18 years of his life 
were spent in his native town, where 
he attented school. He learned the 
saddle and harnessmaking trade, which 
he pursued in Evans, N. Y., from 1835 
to 1838. On Dec. 6 of 1838, he married 
Miss Harriet D. Joy, and the following 
April 1839, with his wife, father-in-law 
and brother-in-law, D. C. Joy, came to 
Springport, settling on the north-west 



■iftf^i 



17. 



rrr^-fourth of the rorth-eapt one fourth 
of section 34, which ho improved and 
made his home u'^til his removal to 
Jackson, Jan. 1st, 1861 to assume the 
duties of county register, to which 
office he hnd been elected in November 
preceeding, on the ticket headed by 
Abraham Lincoln as president. He 
taught the winter term f>f 1839-40 of 
school district Ni\ 1, the Landon, hav- 
about 70 pupils, ;x\\ those within a 
rarim-i of several miks, recpivi^^g the 
princiy sum of $16.00 per month and 
boarding himself. He held vhe office of 
Justice and supervisor for several years 
prior to moving from the township. In 
the elect on of 1868 he was chosen 
county treasurer, in 1872 county clerk 
and in 1876 to the state legislature. In 
the stssion of the legislature of 1881, 
he served as postmaster at the Capitol, 
and soon after the close of the session 
was appointed postmast r of Parma. 
He was ai early member of Parma 
Lodge, No. 183 F. & A. M , Jackson 
Chaiter No. 3 and Jackson Commandry 
No. 9 Mr. and Mrs. Ludlow were 
parents to two sons, Theodore F., who 
died of consumption, in east Lansing, 
N. Y., July 4, 1853, aged 12 years, and 
Charles D., who accidently shot him- 
self on the Landon farm, Aug. 24, 1860, 
aged 16 years. Vlr. Ludlow died at his 
home in Parma village Dec. 29, 1888, 
his wife fallowing May. 2, 1902. 



Jermiah FitzGerald 

Was born in Orange county, N. Y., 
July 4, 1789. He received a common 
school education, such as was offered to 
farmer's sons in those days. At the 
age of 21 he joined the New York 
Volunteers and served as an officer dur- 
ing the war of 1812 at Sacket Harbor. 
He was unittd in marriage to Sylvia 
Stiickland, of Pittsford, Vt., Dec. 1, 
1812, living on a farm near Jordon, N. 



Y., until late in the fall of 1832, when 
they moved to Ohio, going on the canal 
boat to Buffalo. In the fall of 1835 
Jermiah FitzGerald and his oldest son, 
Harrison, started on foot from Burling 
Heights, Ohio, passing through Perrys- 
burg, Tecumseh, Manchester, Napo- 
leon and Jackson to Spring Arbor, 
where they rested a day or two, then 
with others resumed their journey to 
the north-west corner of Jackson coun- 
ty, Michigan, now known as Spring- 
port. After looking about for some 
days they decided to take up 80 acres 
in section 29. The farm now owned by 
Jacob Heiter, south-east of the village 
of Springport, paying $1.25 per acre. 
Mr. FitzGerald bought 160 acres for 
$2.50 per acre on section 17, where 
Jermiah FitzGerald lived for 35 years. 
The east 80 acres is now owned by 
"Grandma" Wiselogel. The west 80 
belongs to the L. Ferris escate. Re- 
turning to Ohio, Mr. FitzGerald began 
the preperations for moving his family, 
consisting of a wife, six sons and two 
daughters, to thfir new home. They 
started in mid winter so that they 
could cross the Maume Swamp and 
river, bringing three yoke of oxen and 
three covered wagons, filled with the 
family, household goods, and provisions. 
It may be of interest to know the price 
of provision at that time. The man 
who supplied Mr. FitzGerald with a 
years provision said his prices were as 
follows and he would not throw off a 
cent: Large cabbage heads one cent 
each, potatoes six cents per bushel, 
cider 50 cents per barrel, apples for 
the picking and wild pork one dollar a 
hundred. The wages paid to a good 
strong man, per day (from daylight to 
dark) 18 cents They erected a house 
of logs with "shake" fcr roofing, and 

began their life in the new country with 
new hopes and new aspirations. In 
this little log house was held the first 



18. 



wedding in Springport. The oldest 
daughter, Matilda FitzGearld, to Lewis 
Pike, Nov. 1, 1838. During the first 
year of their residence in this house, 
wolves came so close to the door that 
they tipped over a jar of soft soap and 
tracked it all over the door step. About 
1840 the log house that is still standing 
on the Wiselogel farm was built. In 
this house Mrs. FitzGearld died, Feb. 
7, 1861, and May 20, 1870, Jeremiah 
FitzGearld died, having shared life's 
joys and sorrows together for 49 years. 
To them were born eight children, six 
sons and two daughters. Lydia A., 
the only survivor of this family has 
always made her home in Springport, 
teaching school from the time she was 
15 years old until her marriage with 
Edward Saxton, March 25, 1863. They 
lived on the FitzGerald homestead for 
some years, finally selling it to Mr. 
Sawyer and moving to the village of 
Springport, where they have lived for 
30 years. 



In the few years following the town- 
ship settled up quite rapidly and here 
they lived, and nearly all of them have 
been laid to rest beneath the soil which 
has yielded so abundantly to their 
labors. 





LUTHER H. LUDLOW 




JOSIAH V/illTMAN 



19. 



The Indians and Their 
Trails 

The Pottawattomies were located in 
this vicin ty when the first settlers 
came. The chief of the tribe was 
Whap-ca-zeek, "the fast runner," 
whose home was at Spring Arbor. He 
with othf^rs of his tribe, fought the 
Whites at the battles of the Thames 
and Tippecanoe. In the latter Whap-ca- 
zeek lost his left leg, while leading his 
braves in a charge on the troops of 
Gen. Harrison. He lay where he fell 
until the Indians were driven off, when 
the white soldiers found him, took him 
to a hospital, amputated his shattered 
Ipg and cared for him until he was well. 
When, instead of killing him (as he ex- 
pected) they gave him a crutch and a 
pony and sent him home. He was ever 
after a friend of the he-mo-ko-mans 
(Whitemen.) 

He was very athletic and with his 
crutch, was equal to the best of his 
tribe in the chase or on the march. 

Whamp-ka zeek, a semi chief of the 
Pottawattomies, was very friendly to- 
ward the early settlers. And only on 
one occasion did he show the ugly spirit, 
when he came to the home of Mr. Pres- 
ton full of scoota-wa-bne (whiskey), 
Mrs. Preston was alone with her child- 
ren, and when the baby began to cry 
Whamp-Ka-Zeek ordered her to make 
it stop or he would put it on the fire. 
Mrs. Preston was much frightned, but 
managed by s'gns to one of the older 
chi dren to go to Mr. Comstock's for 
Mr. Preston, who was soon on the scene 
armed with a sledstake. Hs left the 
door open and commanded, "quick- 
march-ee, " which the Indian, though 
intoxicated, knew, ment go at once, 
which he did, but returned a few days 
l^ittr, bringing a peace offering in a big 
fat wild turkey, which he presented 



with the words "Indian sorry, Indian 
drunk fool" and with these brief and 
pointed remarks turned and left, but 
returned many times after bringing 
venison and other game which were 
great helps of the family larder. 

The following was related to the 
writer by Richard Townley whose family 
were the first settlers in the township 
of Tompkins, and near their residence 
the main Indian trail passed. He had 
noticed an unusual large number of 
Indians pass, and to gratify his curiosi- 
ty, followed them to the west and south 
to their camp on the east side of Spring- 
brook just south of where it crosses the 
road from section 35 to section 26, 
where he saw a large company having 
a jolly time, their enjoyment hightened 
by the aid of the contents of a keg, 
which two Indians had carried by early 
in the day. Having satisified his curi- 
osity he returned home, and next morn- 
ing made a second visit, not concealing 
his presence as the day before. Not an 
Indian was in sight, only the squaws 
were present, and they much disturbed 
at his presence. Upon a near approach 
he found the braves all sleeping off the 
effects of the fire-water they had so 
freely imbibed in celebrating the wed- 
ding that had taken place the day be 
fore. In 1839 and 1840 the government 
removed most of the Pottowattomies 
to reservation near Green Bay, Wis. 

Some of the old settlers related to 
the writer how the 4th U. S. Infantry 
and 2nd U. S Cavalry, under command 
of Brig. General Hugh Brady came 
through the country getting up the 
various bands and driving them, as a 
flock of sheep, to the headquarters 
camp at Jackson, from which point 
they were driven to Detroit and em- 
barked on boats to Green Bay. Their 
removal was generally satisfactory to 
the early settlers, as they were great 
beggers, Jind somewhat inclined to be 



20. 



thievish. A band escaped the roundup 
of the troops and secreted themselves 
in the thickets of the town of Lee, in 
Calhoun county, and in the ^ummer 
seasons just preceeding the war, some 
of them would make trips to this town- 
ship, peddling baskets, which they 
transported on ponies, the animals be- 
ing nearly covered with wares of 
various sizes and shapes. Camping at 
a school house corner, they would leave 
their main supply in charge nf a brave, 
while the squaws would radiate out in 
each direction peddling their wares. 
We well remember the friiht their 
presence caused the school chiMren, 
and lady teachers as well. We were 
all much pleased when they departed. 
Their trails as noted by the surveyors 
were as follows: The main trail from 
Jackson, north had a stopping point at 
the spring on the Townley f^rm, near 



of Feciinn 31. The tr;'.ii running north 
from the Townley .spring, entered 
Springport about 35 rods north of the 
south-east corner of section 1, west to 
thp Bockoven spriny, another stopping 
po'nt, thence north-westi rly across 
sections 1 and 2, leaving the t"wn an 1 
county near where Springbrt ok is, tit 
the north quarter poi-t of section 3. 
Another truil entered the township 
about 40 rods east of the north-west 
corner of the town, ran nenrly soutii 
across s^'Ctions 6 and 7, leaving section 
7 about 100 r.ids north of the snuih- 
west corner of th<^ section andprohnbly 
intersecting the main trail to Marshall 
at some point in Alavence township. 

Several camns of the retlman have 
been located in the township usually 
near some lake or strtain. One near 
the Cooper lake on the farm of Benj 
P. Burgess, on section 5, another on 



the section line between sections 19 and section 26, on the fnrm of the Myrcn 
3") in Tompkins township, thence toward Gilletc Eat. Mr. Gilit-'tt informed i s of 



the west, entering Springport about 40 
rods south of section line of sections 24 
and 25, near which point two trails 
seperated, one in a south-west course, 
crossing from st ction 25 to section 36, 
near the Salesburg school house, and 
continuing a south-west course, leaving 
the town near the sou'h quarter post of 
section 35. The other in a more west- 
I rly coursp, left s^cti )n 25 about 60 
rods south of the west quarter post. 
Crossing Sj^ringbrook about 60 rods 
north of the highway, on south side of 
section 26, passing to sectiun27, abuut 
50 rods north of the south-east corner, 



remembering the encamjirtienr. v^hich 
wiis not far from Springbroc k. The 
tepee polls were left standing a num- 
ber of years after the iniUans had been 
removed. Many arrow heads have 
been found on or near each ercunjf- 
ment. 

We well remember the pt cu'iar gr-ss 
or weed, called Indian grass, of a yel- 
low hue that grew in the old trail that 
crossed his father's farm. Nothing 
like it has been seen here since the 
plow of the pioneer turned it under. 
Another oimp was loca'ed on the pres- 
ent farm of John W. Robbins, section 



in a south-west course, leaving section j 23, near ihe south shore of East Mon- 

27 at 20 rods west of the south quai ter tague lake. 

post then in a more south course across 

the corner of section 34, leavii^g that 

section 50 rods south of the tiorlh-west 

corner, and continuing in a nearly 

straight cour.-^e across st ctions 33, 32 

and 31, leaving the town and cou'.ty i 

100 rods north of the west quarter post ; 




01 




JAMES AND MARGARET PRESTON 

Mrs. Preston being the first white woman in Springport 





AUGUSTUS F. GAYLORD 

First Village Resident and Postmaster 



JOHN E. DEY 

First Contractor and Builder 



22. 



The Churches 

A deep interest in christian religion 
manifesteditself among ths pioneers 
of Springport; nearly all of whom were 
professed followers «f some particular 
sect or church. The Presbyterian?, 
Baptists, Protestant and Episcopal 
Methodists being early and well repre- 
sented in this "vineyard," in the early 
days of the township. ^ 

Rev. Marcus Harrison, Presbyterian, 
preached the first sermon, in the fall 
of 1835 or early in 1836, in his own 
residence— a 30 feet square log house 
that stood in the road in front of the 
present residence of W. S. Brown. 
He also preached the first funeral ser- 
mon—fall of 1835,— being that of Mr. 
Adams, who died at his residence near 
where Mr. John Haite now lives, and 
was buried on the opposite side of the 



road near N. W. corner of S. E. J sec- 
tion 9. Rev. R B. Bement, Presby- 
terion, preached at the Landon school 
house in 1839 and 1840 

The first sermon by the Baptist de- 
nomination was by Rev. Mr. Taylor, 
(probably in 1838) at the residence of 
Josiah Whitman, section 9, followed by 
Rev. Mr. Post, who preached at the 
Landon school house and in the woods 
south of the village. The first Baptist 
church was erected at the village in the 
summer of 1877, Mr. David Judson be- 
ing the builder. It was dedicated Nov. 
29, 1877, by Rev. C. H. Beal. assisted 
by Rev. P. Van Winkle. First regular 
minister. Rev. Lyman Trumball, who 
has been succeeded by Revs. R. J. 
Stevenson, A. W. Gower, E. N. Selleck, 
and for a few years there was no 
preaching services. When it was 
started again, Elder Conant had charge, 
followed by Revs. Miller, Lloyd, 
Eldridge, Miller (returned for two 
years), Stevens and supplies from 



Hillsdale college. Stite Missionary^ 
Rev. Hudson, filled the pulpit for some- 
time and Rt'.v. Goodman is now here. 
Membership in 1878 was 60, now about 20. 

The names of several Methodist min- 
isters have been suggested as being 
the first to preach here, but it seems 
very probable that the Protestant 

Methodists formed a class at the Lan- 
don school house early in the forties; 
and public meetings by this denomina- 
tion were held at the residence of Mr. 
Augusta F. Gaylord at the village. 
About the same time Revs. Jaquas, 
Davidson, Pratt, Sullivan and Castle, 
advocated their faith until the classes 
were disbanded. The Episcopal Metho- 
dists were first repr'-sented at the Lan- 
don school house by Rev. Noah Fassett 
and Lyman Gee. About 1848 Rev. Mr. 
Blowers was first appointed to this 
charge by theM. E conference. Revs. 
J. Ellis. Samuel Fassett and Lewis 
Griffin filled the appointments until the 
first M. E. church was built, which was 
in the fall of 1863. by Daniel H. Pier- 
son. Dedicated Jan. 27th, 1864, Rev. 
H. M. Eddy, of Chicago, preaching the 
dedicatory sermon. The cost of the 
building was $1,850.00. The following 
constituted the first board of trustpes: 
D. H. Pierson, John Oyer, Noah Car- 
penter, D C. Goodyear, E. A. Landon, 
A. Sanhurn, Wm. Wellington, Nicholas 
Gray, M. S. Brown. The first regular 
minister was Rev. \. L. Hoag to Sept. 
1864; Rev. Hugh Colwell, Sept. 1865;: 
W. W. Johnson, 1867; Samuel Fassett, 
1868; B. F. Wright, 1869; A. J. Lvman, 
1870-1; A. J. Russell, 1872; G. W. 
Hoag, 1873-4; C. G. Thomas, 1875-6; 
S. M. Merritt, 1877; L. P. Ferguson. 
1878-9; A. L Crittendon, 1880-1; Noah 
Fassett, 1882-3; J. H. Tanner, 1884; J. 
W. Steffee, 1885; H. P. Henderson, 
1886; J. W. Arney, 1887; J. Clubine, 
1887-89; R. R. Whitman, 1889-90; A. 
M. Griffith, 1890-92; W. W. Divine, 
1882-93; W. F. Cook, 1893-94; G. L. 
Mount, 1894-96; J. A. Sprague, 1896-98; 
0. H Perry, 1898-99; F. N. Corbett, 
Sept. 1899.-June 1900; J. J. Martin. 
June 1900-Sept. 1900; A. A. Geiger, 
1900-04- G. R. Millard, 1904-06; W J. 
Hathaway, 1906-08; D. E. StefFe, 1908- 
10, and Rev. Yost is the present 
pastor. The present membership is 75.. 



23. 



Society History. 

In society matters the people of 
Springport take a great interest, there 
having been no less than eleven so- 
cieties formed during the past 45 years, 
neraly all of which are well supported 
at the present time. The first was 
organized during 1863, and known as 
the Union League. The object of 
which was to give support to the 
government of the United States dur- 
ing the trying period of the war, and to 
spot traitors in the rear, of which there 
were a few in our midst. The officers 
were: President John Landon; secre- 
tary, S. Ross Higgings. The places of 
meeting were by special appointment 
being generally at the residence of 
some member. At the close of the 
war, having outlived its usefulness, it 
disbanded. 

On April 14, 1869, Lodge No. 131, of 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was 
chartered by the Grand Lodge of that 
order of the state. The first N. G. was 
Charles R. Doak; first secretary John 
Oyer. This lodge has continued in a 
flourishing condition, at present own- 
ing tiieir hall and numbering 140 mem- 
bers in good standing. 

Encampment Lodge No. 70, I. O. O. 
F., was organized and chartered Feb- 
ruary Ilth, 1876. George W. Bortles 
was the first Chief Patriarch and Dr. 
E. R. DePoe the first Scribe. Present 
membership 40. Regular meetings 
held on the first and third Thursdays of 
each month. 

Rebecca Lodge No. 89, I. 0. O. F. 
was organized and chartered July 14th, 
1869. The names of the first officers 
are unknown, being unable to find the 
first records. The present member- 
ship is 131. Regular meetings are held 
on ihe firts and third Wednesdays of 
each month. 

The Order of Patrons of Husbandry 
No. 45, was organized and chartered 
Augu.>3t 6, 1873. Allen Crawford was 
elected first W. M., and George Lan- 
don the fir^t Secretary. The order was 
ix flourishing organization for a few 
years, but of Jate has been on the wane. 
The jTesenl membership is 30. At one 
time it was the cnly live Grange in 
Jackson county. Rtgular meetings be- 



ing held on the first and third Saturdays 
of each month. 

On the evening of August 31, 1869, 
several members of the Masonic fra- 
ternity met and informally organized a 
lodge, electing Ben A. Joy, W. M. ; 
Fay H. Ludlow, S. W. : Edward Saxton, 
J. W. ; Oscar F. Smith, Sec; Lewis E. 
Scoby, Treas.. Wm. Bullen, S. D.; 
Wm. H. Saxton, J. D.; Theron D. Fel- 
lows, Tyler. A dispensation was re- 
ceived June 6, 1870, and on the 12th of 
January, 1871, a charter was granted 
from the Grand Lodge of the state. 
Fay H. Ludlow being the first W. M.; 
Benj. P. Burgess, S. W.; Edward Sax- 
ton, J. W.; O. F. Smith, Sec. The 
present membership is 110. 

I Springport Charter No. 144 was or- 
j ganized about eight years ago with 
i John H. Doak as H. P. and N. G. Dean 
i as Recorder. About 45 members are 
I now in good standing. Arthur Punches 
' present H. P. and A. Crawford Jr. 
I Recorder. 

Eastern Star Lodge, No. 26, received 
its charter October 14, 1880. Mrs. Ross 
Lamb was the first Worthy Matron, 
Hnd E. Comstock the first Secretary. 
The records of the lodge show 124 
members enrolled. Worthy Matron, 
Kittie McClellan; Sec, Florence Yager. 

Mystic Workers of the World, Friend- 
.t^hip Lodge No. 373, organized Nov. 23, 
1900. Eighteen members. C. W. 
Craihwell, Prefect; W. O. Dodd, Sec 
Now membership 110. Cratie Jewell, 
Prefec; Claude Towns, Sec 

Springport Lodge No. 87, Ancient 
Order of United Workmen, was char- 
tered June 16th, 1885. H. H. Allen 
was elected first Master Workman and 
J. P. Hicks first Secretary. This or- 
der being a mutual life insurance com- 
pany, whose beneficient favors have 
been known in our midst, was in a very 
piosperous condition, but has now 
ceased lo exist. 

The Order of Maccabees Millard tent 
was organized in Springport Feb. 27, 
1892 with R. Jack Comstof^k as first 
Cumander and Geo. McCall first Record 
Keeper. Under the new charter Sam 
Mc( lellan was first Commander and 
Charles Van Black Record Keeper. 
About ten members have died from this 
tent. The present membership is 54. 
Wm. J. De.\oe present C'>mmander and 
James E. Hammond Record Keeper. 



24. 




MARIA DEY 

Who taught the first district school in 
Springport in the summer of 1838. 



The Schools 



SCHOOL DISTRICT NUMBER ONE. 

The cause of education has received 
an unflagging interest from the first 
settlement of our township. As a re- 
sult we believe our home educated citi- 
zens compare favorably. The pioneer 
in this important work was Mrs. Maria 
Dey, who taught the first term of 
school in her own home, an 18x20 ft. 
square log house that stood one-fourth 
mile west of the Landon school house. 
— now removed. Of this Mrs. Dey 
wrote: "In the spring of 1838 the first 
school meeting was held at a private 
house, I think my father's, on the old 
Ford place, where A. L. Landon now 
resides. It was found that school 
must begin right away to get the legal 
time, in order to draw the public mon- 



ey. They employed me to teach the 
school in our own house, on the Bough- 
ton place, until the school house was 
readv, which was the old Porter (tama- 
rack) house. My term was six week?, 
then Charlotte Whitman was employed 
through the rest of the summer. Miss 
Harriet Dixon taught in the summer 
of 1839. The school inspectors were 
Herman Landon and Wm. V. Morrison. " 
In the summer of 1838 the first frame 
school house was erected, under the 
direction of a building committee, con- 
sisting of Herman Landon, John S. 
Comstock, David D. Gillett, M. S. 
Brown and James A. Preston. It was 
located just south of the Landon school 
house— size 18x24 ft., and 8ft. posts. 
John E. Dey, James L. Preston, Arad 
Starr and Herman Landon were the 
builders. Miss Harriet Dixon taught 
the first school therein, winter of 1838-9" 
also the following summer. In the 
winter of 1839-40, Luther H. Ludlow 
was persuaded to teach the school. 
The attendance was obout 70, being all 
the pupils of suflRcient age and size 
within a radius of three miles. For his 
service Mr. Ludlow received the prince- 
ly sum of $16 per month and boarded 
himself. 

The present structure superceded the 
old one in 1855, Isaac P. Clawson being 
the builder. This district claims no 
less than 30 successful teachers from 
the pupils who have been regular 
attendants at her schools. The present 
census is 18. 



DISTRICT NUMBER TWO. 

District No. 2 was set off and organ- 
ized Feb. 23rd, 1839. Josiah Whitman 
was the first director. A log shanty 
was erected near the s. e. corner of sec. 
19, (near Geo. Wellington's residence) 
by a (committee of the whole district) 
bee, and in the summer of 1840 or '41, 
Miss Catherine Joy taught the first 



25. 



school, receiving for her services $1.50 
per week and boarded around. Shortly 
after the south part of the district was 
set off and became No. 4 A small 
frame school house was built nearly 
where the Oyer House now stands, 
sometime in the fifties, and this gave 
place for a commodious building, locat- 
ed where F. D. Scherer's store now is, 
and this was burned in April, 1878. In 
1872-3 the present fine structure was 
erected by Messrs. Caster & Hoag, at 
a cost of about $5,000. The building is 
located in a very desirable part of the 
village, on Grand street, and finely laid 
out grounds give the structure a pleas- 
ant appearance. The rooms— four in 
number— are well heated by steam, the 
apparatus costing about $500. The 
seating capacity is about 50 to each 
room. The present census is 147. 

The school ?s now constituted was 
partially graded by Prof. Dennis Dunn, 
a very eflicient instructor, who served 
one year and part of the second with 
two departments, the third department 
being added during the last term of his 
second year. The arrangement for 
grading was completed in 1881, by 
Prof. Fr< d M. Harlow, assisted by 
Mcsdames Laura Z. Adams-Towns, and 
Hattie Hall-Winslow. The former was 
i.'i April '83, superseded hy Florence 
McCail, who taught five years in the 
intermedJHte department, followed by 
Clara Richardson-Johnson, Alma Hicks- 
iSibley, Adelia Hoag-Houseman, Kath- 
erine Webster, Nellie Carpenter, Sylvia 
Noviss-Chappell and Laura Hard who 
is now ihe teacher. Hattie Hall-Wins- 
low, in Sept., 1884, in the Primary 
was superseded by Josephine Jandell, 
who taught but one year, and was fol- 
lowed by Emma Hayes, May Saxton- 
Ciawsun, Phoeba Hayes, Bessie Hyde, 
Ch-irlotte Cook and Florence Yager. 
The Grammar room was started in 1892, 
May Merrill being the first teacher, 



followed by Mary Hyndman, A. J. 
Crittendtn, Lucy Burgess, Jennie Kay - 
Bly, Laura Hard and Elizabeth Cany. 
The names of the several instructors 
in the High room are Fr^d M Hirlow, 
1881-'97; W. H. Peart-e, 1897-1902; H. 
A. Schall, 1902-'04; C. R. Murphy, 1904- 
'08 and D. L. Clark who is here at this 
time. They have been assisted by 
Mary Hyndman, 1889-1900; Delia Hale, 
1900-1905; Luey Burgess, 1905-'06; Miss 
Heald, 1906- '08 and Catherine Barber 
who is now teaching her second year. 

The entire work of the school com- 
prisfs thirteen grades, covering as 
many years work, and divided as fol- 
lows: the Primary takes three, Inter- 
mediate three. Grammar three and 
High room four. The intention of the 
school is to give an elementary educa- 
tion, at once practical and sufficient to 
secure admittance to any of the many 
noted schools of our state, or any of 
the three certificates to teach in the 
district schools, or what is of more im- 
portance, by its thorough drill and 
work, to give its students an experience 
which will make them practical busi- 
ness men and women. The school 
board has always maintained a liberal 
position in all respects, opening the 
advantages to foreign pupils, at ex- 
tremely low tuition, and have left no 
opportuity to suppors their teachers in 
every effort, both in discipline and 
instruction. 

The work of organization, from the 
first was impeded by lack of apparatus 
and efficient library. Prof. Dunn was 
instrumental in placing an excellent 
list of text books, and two Webster's 
Unabridged dictionaries in the school. 
To this, much of the success of the 
school is attributable. By an exhibi- 
tion, during the winter of '81, the 
school purchased thirty volumes of 

standard authors in history, science and 
fiction. To this nucleus, additions were 



26. 



made until '86, when the library was 
presented to the district, and by judic- 
ious expenditure of library money, has 
now reached several hundred volumes. 

In apparatus, a small beginning was 
made. A popular movement by patron 
and pupil in '80, placed an organ in the 
High room. From time to time the 
board have generously supplied other 
helps, among which are some valuable 
Reading Charts, a Tellurian, Anatomi- 
cal Study, Globes, Laboratory and sup- 
plies and many other auxiliaries which 
is intended with careful use to secure 
the student an independence in research 
and habits of self reliance, so valuable 
in practical life work. 

Improvements are being made each 
year. In April 1900, the basement was 
arranged as a recitation room and libra- 
ry, making five rooms in all. In 1904 a 
new furnace was installed and in 1906 
the fire escape was added, besides many 
other things that the various school 
boards have supplied. 

The first class regularly graduated 
from this school was that of '83, com- 
prising Messrs. Wm. Flanders, de- 
ceased, Perry L. Burgess, Robert Mc- 
Clellon, deceased and Jesse I. Conklin. 
Few lines of business can be named in 
which cannot be found names once 
answered to in our schools. 

SCHOOL DISTRICT NUMBER THREE. 

District No. 3 was set off and organ- 
ized in 1842, during which year a log 
building was erected about fifteen rods 
north-east of the west quarter post of 
section 9. Levi Spaulding was. the 
builder. James Burgess was the first 
director and Josiah Whitman, Jr., 
taught the first term of school during 
the winter of 1842-3. In the year 1854 
the site was changed to its present lo- 
cation, and the present building erect- 
ed, Clark R. Whitman being the con- 
tractor, and Levi Spaulding, David L. 



Hicks and Darwin FitzGerald doing 
the work. The present school census 
numbers 28. 

DISTRICT NUMBER FOUR. 

District No. 4 was set off from No. 2, 
and organized Feb, 15, 1840. Josiah 
Whitman was the first director. The 
first school was taught by Miss Harriet 
FitzGerald, in a small dwelling that 
stood near the present site. This soon 
gave place to the first school house, 
which was built on a contract by Alonzo 
Haire, Harvey Wheeler, of Willow 
Creek, Eaton county, doing the work. 
In 1875 the present structure was 
erected, Caster & Hoag being the build- 
ers. The present census is 34. 

DISTRICT NUMBER FIVE. 

District No. 5 was organized about 
the year 1850, the present building be- 
ing erected soon after. N. H. Hayden 
was the first director and also taught 
the first school. In 1884 the old build- 
ing was remodeled and otherwise im- 
proved. The present census is 24. 

DISTRICT NUMBER SIX. 

District No. 6 was organized Sept. 
19, 1853, Elmer Sheldon being the first 
director. The first school was taught 
in a log shanty that stood rear Thomas 
Camm's residence. The present build- 
ing was erected in the summer of 1855. 
Miss Adelia Ferris taught the first 
school. The present census is 24. 

DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN 

District No. 7 was organized April 
15, 1854, David Calkins being the first 
director. The first school was taught 
in a dwelling house (the Childs house) 
that stood one-fourth mile north of the 
present site. Miss Lucinda Nelson 
taught the first school. The present 
building was erected in the summer of 
1855, John Oyt r being the contractor, 
and Martin L. Bridenstine, Samuel 
Heiser and Jacob Beck were the build- 
ers. The present census is 15. 



27. 



DISTRICT NUMBER EIGHT. 
District No. 8. fractional with Ham- 
lin, was organized Nov. 10, 1838, in a 
shanty near the present residence of 
W. W. Wilson. Miss Locina Emmer- 
eon taught the first school. The first 
school house was erected in 1839, and in 
1845 a new one was erected about 30 
rods north of the present site, Samuel 
Sherman being the builder. In 1866 
the present edifice was erected, Geo. T. 



Griffith being the contractor, and Amer 
Jefi'eries being the builder. The pres- 
ent census is 25. 

DISTRICT NUMBER ONE. (FRACTIONAL). 

District No. 1, fractional with Tomp- 
kins, was organized June 4, 1853, 
Daniel S. Gillett being the first direc- 
tor. The present building was soon 
after erected by A. M. Harris. 
Harriet Benedict was the first teacher. 
The present census is 34. 




The Landon school house. First school house in Springport, built in 1838. 
Drawn from memory by the author. Copied by Miss Kate Ludlow. 



28. 




EDMUND FERRIS 



COMFORT JOY 




STEPHEN H. LUDLOW 



DAVID D.GILLETT 



29. 



Township Officers. 

By act of the legislature of 1837-8, 
that territory now known as Spring- 
port was set off from the township of 
Spring Arbor. The act making the 
change vook effect April 2, 1838 The 
first election was held that day at the 
house of Isaac B. Gates, now owned by 
J. R. Whitman Jr., on section 29. 

First Town Meeting. 

The following is a copy of the origi- 
nal record of the meeting held that day: 

Annual Township Meeting, April 2, 

1838. 

At a meeting of the citizens of the 
township of Springport, in the county 
of Jackson, and state of Michigan. Held 
at the house of Isaac B. Gates in said 
township, (according to the directions 
of the Legislature of the state) held on 
the second day of April, one thousand 
eight hundred and thirty eight, for the 
purpose of electing the necessary officers 
required by Law, in said township. 

On the meeting coming to order 
Josiah Whitman was chosen as Mode- 
rator of the day and Wm. P. Morrison 
as clerk. They both having the oath 
administered to fulfill the duties ac- 
cording to law (which disolve upon 
them as inspectors of said meeting.) 

On counting the votes it was found 
that Josiah Whitman was chosen as 
supervisor for the ensuing yf>ar. It 
was then found that Simon Montague 
was chosen as township clerk. 

Josiah Whitman, Isaac B. Gates, 
Daniel Mallory and James M. Jame- 
son vere chosen for Justice of the 
Peace for said township. 

Edmund Ferris, Levi Huffman, Wil- 
liam Gennings were elected as asses- 
sors for said town.ship. 

D. C Hammond, J. FitzGerald and 



J. A. Preston were chosen as Com- 
missioners of Highways. 

L. Landon, H. Landon Wm. V. Morri- 
son were chosen as inspectors of pri- 
mary schools. 

D. Mallory and D. C. Hammond were 
chosen as overseers of the poor. 

Milton Barrett, Augustus Ferris and 
Clark R. Whitman were chosen as col- 
lectors and constables. 

Herman Landon, Luther Landon and 
J. A. Preston fence viewers. 

J. S. Comstock was chosen as Pound 
Master. 

It was then voted that the town clerk 
obtain from the records of the town- 
ship of Sandstone all records that may 
be necessary to have recorded in this 
town. And that there be a tax raised 
for the purpose of obtaining all neces- 
sary books for records, and that the 
same be to the amount of ten dollars. 
It was then voted that a tax of twenty- 
five dollars for the sustenance of the 
poor. 

It was then voted that horses, cattle 
and hogs be free commoners, and that 
a lawful fence should be five feet in 
heighth. 

It was then voted that a bounty of 
two dollars be paid by the township to 
any citizen of said township that may 
present the scalps of wolves that he 
has killed in said township, and that be 
be paid for any wolf or wolves that he 
may kill, and also that any person who 
sets a trap for that purpose shall build 
a lawful fence around the same. 

The meeting was then adjourned un- 
til the next annual township meeting, 
which is to be held at the home of Si- 
mon Montague in said towhship. 

JOSIAH WHITMAN. Moderator, 
WM. MORRISON, Clerk. 
Springport, April 2nd, 1838. 



SUPERVISORS. 

The office of supervisor has been 



30. 



filled from 1839 to the present, by 
following persons; 

1839. — James M. Jameson. 
1840. — Edmund Ferris. 
1841. — Aup:ustus F. Gaylord. 
1842-6.— Stephen B Crawford. 
1847-51.— James M. Jameson. 
1852-3.— E. W. Comstock. 
1854-60. - 1, uther H. Ludlow. 
1861-63.— John Landon. 
1864. -John R. Pool. 
1965.— E. W. Comstock. 
1866-7. —George Landon. 
1868-9. -S. Ross Riggings. 
1870.— John Landon. 
1871.— George Landon. 
1872. — Samuel ChappHl. 
1873-6.— Allen Crawford. 
1877. -Thomas H. Allen. 
1878.— Ben A. Joy. 
1879. -David L. Hicks. 
1880-2. -Merton L. Dey. 
1883.— Henry Smith. 
1884-6. -Merton L. Dey. 
1887 -Byron C. Godfrey. 
1888-92.— F. E. Powers. 
1993-4. -A. L. Landon. 
1895-1904. -James W. Dey. 
1905.— A. L Landon. 
1906 -James W. Dey. 
1907-10.— Sam McClellan. 

TOWNSHIP CLERKS. 

1883-9. -Stephen H. Ludlow. 
1840. —Stephen B. Crawford. 
1841-3.— Stephen H. Ludlow. 
1844.— Edmund Ferris. 
1845-7. -Stephen H. Ludlow. 
1848-9. -Wm. G Brown. 
1850-6. -Stephen H. Ludlow. 
1857-8. -George Landon. 
1859 — Amos Crosby. 
1860-5. — George Landon. 
1866. —Amos Crosby. 
1867. -Stephen H Ludlow. 
1868. -Chas. O. Goodyear. 
1869-70- Harvey Crosby. 
1871-2. -Ben A. Joy. 
1873. -Dallas Caster. 
1874-5.— Eben C. Comstock. 
1876.— James M. Crosby. 
1877. -Dallas Caster. 
1878. -Frank E. Powers. 
1879. -Dallas Caster. 
1880. -James M. Crosby. 
1881-2. -Frank E Pnwers. 
1883.— Henry L. Gardner. 
1884 -Chas. H. Weldon. 
1885-7. -Frank E. Powers. 



the 



1892. -Chandler D. Caster. 
1893-5. -H. J. Courtright. 
1896-9.— W. H, West. 
1900-8 -J. E Zupp. 
1909-10. -E. L. Dale. 

TOAVNSHIP TREASURERS. 

1879-80.— Edward Saxton. 
1881 —Jacob Colestock 
1883-3.— David L. Hicks. 
1884-5. -Edward Saxton. 
1886 7.— C. D. Caster 
1887-8. -David L. Hicks. 
1889-90 — Sames J a Smith. 
1891.— Byron Caster. 
1892. — Byron M. Caster. 
1893 4. -Frank Robbins. 
1895-6. -Emery D. Cravcr. 
1897-8. -Geo. Linn. 
1899-1900. -Wm. H Inman. 
1901-2.— Ethan B. Allen. 
1903-4. — Henry P Fogle.«ang. 
1905-6. -Sam McClellan. 
1907-8 —Peter P. Orrison. 
1909-10.— Claude Towns 

The first treasurer of the township 
of which any record can be found, was 
one Degolia, and the amount of taxes 
that he was required to collect from 
one man, who owned 160 acres of land, 
in the year of 1837, was $1.76. C. R. 
Whitman was the treasuirer for the 
year 1838, and he collected from the 
same man $2.48. In 1842 Stephen B. 
Crawford held that position; then came 
Edmund Ferris for several years, then 
E. W. Comstock from 1846-9; John 
Oyer from 1854-8. John Landon held 
that position in 1859 and collected from 
the above 160 acres, $15.95. Then 
came H. Doak and G. D. Crossfield for 
1860-1-2. In 1863 David L. Hicks was 
elected to the office, and held it froTn 
year to year until about 1878 or 9, and 
in 1864 collected on the first named 160 
acres, $92.54. This from the small sum 
of $1.76, the taxes increased to $92.54, 
and from the one man who struck the 
first blow the population has increased 
to its present number. 

The only means to find on^'s way in 
and out was by the mark^ put upon the 
trees to mark the pathway of the pio- 



31. 



neer. Then it was a seven days' jour- 
ney to mill; to-day only a matter of a 
few hours. 



The Railroad. 

For yeirs the little burg of Oyer's 
Corners plodded along without hope of 
«ver being able to get away from home 
only by teams, until about 1858 or 1859, 
when a project was put on fuot to build 
a railroad from Jonesville to Lansing, 
the capitol of the state. Subscriptions 
were solicited and the first survey of 
the road was made in the fall of 1859, 
and the work of grading was com- 
menced in the following spring, and 
continued until the spring of '61, when 
it was discontinued, presumably on ac- 
count of the breaking out of the war, 
and, perhaps, want of sufficient funds. 
The following story is told by a boy 
who hauled them some wood; "I re- 
member that I was sent over wiih a 
load of wood for one of the company's 
foreman, and after it was unloaded he 
wrote me an order on the paymaster, 
or cashier. As he was a full-blood 
Irishman I could riot make out what 
the order meant or what I was to do 
with it, and asked him to read and ex- 
plain it to me. He did so, and 1 don't 
think I shall ever forget how he ac- 
complished the feat. It sounded so 
funny to me that it made a lasting im- 
pirtssion. I succeeded in getting the 
money, however; without any trouble. " 
The people gave up all hopes and con- 
cluded that they were doomed to live 
and die without ever having a glimpse 
of the "iron horse," or hearing the 
sound of the locomotive whistle only as 
they heard it from the disiant Michi- 
gan Central, on its east and western 
course as it crossed the lands of their 
more fortunate neighbors. After the 
war closed ami peace was restored, 
people's attention was again turned to 



the almost lifeless "Rams Horn," this 
time with better success. In the fall 
of 1871, it was again revived and finally 
completed to Lansing from Jonesville, 
and operattd under the name and 
management of the Lake Shore & 
Michigan Southern Railroad, and desig- 
nated the Lansing Division, which name 
it still retains. The first locomotive 
steamed into Springport township, 
June 14th, 1872. The regular trains 
commenced running in August or Sep- 
tember following. The first agent in 
Springport was S. J. Powell, October 
10, 1872, and was succeeded by C. A. 
Slauson, June 14, 1873; G. W. Bortles 
was appointed agent February 23, 1874; 
J. H. Morris. November 23, 1880; J. P. 
Hicks, August 17, 1883; E. C. Oilman, 
July 2, 1885, who has been succeeded 
by H. A. Leismer; M. E. Burgess and 
I. W. Kirkwood, who still retains that 
position. Since the completion of the 
railroad the village has continued to 
grow and thrive, and to-day our sky is 
clear and we are a happy, contented 
and thriving little village. 



First Buildings. 

John Oyer was the original pioneer 
so far as the village is concerned, and 
did much toward bringing it up to its 
present condition He built the first 
store, and in 1860 he saw the necessity 
of a custom grist mill, and so set him- 
self at work to build one. In 1861 he 
added a saw-mill, and while it was be- 
ing raised, after the fashion of ye 
ancient times, "He-O-he, and up she 
goes! one at a time and all together!" 
one of the timbers turned over on the 
skids, and down it came, crushing 
David L. Hicks' leg, and severely injur- 
ing some others. This brought them 
to their senses and the building was 
completed without further mishap. 
Mr. Oyer owned a large portion of the 



32. 



land surrounding the village. He built 
several brick stores and the large hotel 
which now stand as monuments of his 
enterprise and industry. 



In 



The Gold Fever. 

1850 the California gold 



an oppra house 48x80 feet, with fine 
scenery and a seating capacity of about 

600. 



fever 

struck Springport. Two or three com- 
panies left here overland for California, 
with any thing they could secure as an 
outfit, with barely enough to last them 
until they reached the land of the shin- 
ing dust. The following are the names 
of those who took the gold fever and 
made the trip to California; B. P. 
Burges!-% Thos Burgess, Wm. Troop, 
Phil, and Hiram Oyer, Frank, Wm. 
and Orton Porter, Edward and Wm. 
Saxton, Henry Bass, Nelson Champlin, 
Frank Haziness, Chas. R. Doak, 
Nathaniel Hicks, John Whitman, Chas. 
Crossfield, James Preston, Frank Gur- 
ley, Frank Hall. W. W. Spaulding. 
Some of those boys were very success- 
ful and became rich, whether they dug 
it up from the earth in shining nuggets 
or in the shape of wheat, corn and 
other products of the farm, is more 
than we can say. However, since they 
returned, some of them have proven to 
be good farmers. 



by F. 
issued 

Paine 
which 



Incorpation of Village 

In the year of 1882 Springport was in 
corporated with a population of 600 
people, and C. J. Comstock was se- 
lected as its president. The Trustees 
first elected were John Oyer, Myron 
Gillett. H. L Gardner, A. W. Soule, 
Jared Parker and R. B. Hoag. F. E 
Powers was elected clerk, and Edward 
Saxton treasurer. W. S. Porter was 
elected marshal by the council. The 
village contains several large brick 
stores, and some handsome dwellings. 



The First Newspaper. 

The firpt paper was published 

A. Paine, in 1875, but was only 
once or twice. 

In 1876 W. 0. Oyer and F. A. 
founded the Springport Signal 
has passed through all the trials and 
tribulations of a country newspaper, 
and to-day it is enjoying liberal patron- 
age, both advertising and job work. 
It has a circulation of about 800. With- 
in the last two years the addition of 
new type and presses puts The Signal 
among the best of country offices. 

In the year 1882, J. F. Cook built a 
planing mill and in 1883, he sold to C. 
H. Weldon, who in company with R. 

B. Hoag enlarged and added sash, doors 
and blinds, a cider mill and jelly works. 
Their business amounts to many thous- 
and dollars per year. Their successors 
Hoag & Houseman, still operate the 
plant. 

The writer hereof cannot give as full 
details of the early history of the town- 
ship as he would like, not having suf- 
ficient data to enable him to do so ac- 
curately. 

Many incidents relative to the ex- 
periences of the early settlers no doubt 
would be of interest to those who will 
persue this, could we give them to you 
with the accuracy with which they 
were witnessed by the actors of the by- 
gone drama. 

Many was the time when the white 
man was wending his way home from 
some distant neighbor, by the light of 
the silvery moon, that he would come 
upon a tribe of Indians around their 
camp-fire listening to a speech from 
their chief, and we presume he would 
change his course and go some ways 



out of his way to avoid intruding him- 
self into their dusky company, for the 
Indians were numerous then, and we 
should guess did not feel over pleased 
to have their white neighbors closing 
in upon them to destroy their hunting 
grounds and compell them to move 
further on. Perhaps it was upon this 
very subject that the chief was talking 
to his tribe, and no doubt his ideas 
were fully as sound as those of our 
present rulers. No doubt but that they 
were full be)ievers in protection, and 
if they could have had their way 
would have made it so strong that not 
a white man could have crossed their 
line. 

The boys in those days were full of 
their pranks as they are at the present 
day, and the traveler along some lone- 
ly road has been chased by whats<^emed 
to be a short legged but very long 
bodied animals, which upon a closer 
observation would have been found to 
be only roguish boys, wrapped in 
sheets. Sometimes imitating bears 
they would cause some settler's dog to 
bark and growl until the old pioneer 
would call together his force of boys 
and proceed to drive the beast away, 
and would usually wind up by the sup- 
posed bear driving the old man, boys, 
dog and all into the house, there to re- 
main until daylight came, when they 
would emerge from their quarters to 
see how many pigs h^^d been carried 
away by the "varmit. '" 

As a business point, considering the 
railroad facilities, Springport is un- 
surpassed for an inland town. Sc"res 
of carloads of farm produce ana live 
stock being shipped from here anaualy. 

The retail trade of the village has 
grown to a large proportion and the 
people who or.ce believed it was their 
duty to do their trading in other and 
larger towns now find themselves com- 



pelled to buy and sell at home in order 
to keep up with their more successfu 
neighbors, who, by their foresight, had 
been all along doing their entire busi- 
ness in Springport, and at a greater ad- 
vantage both in buying and selling. 
Here they can have their wants sup- 
plied in all that is neccessary to make 
home comfortable and life happy at a 
very small per cent, above the actual 
cost of production; the expense of 
carrying on a business in Springport is 
i very small. 

The stocks are so large that some of 
them requires a room 48x80 feet to con- 
tain them, and as they are usually 
bought for spot cash makes them capa- 
ble of being sold very low. 



War Reminiscences 

! Owing to the election of Abraham 
Lincoln to the Presidency and the as- 
cendency to power of that despised 
people, (styled by the southern fire- 
eaters) the "Black Abolition Party," 
came the sound of the booming cannon. 
War, terrible war! had begun. The 
firing upon Fort Sumpter on the 12th 
day of April, 1861, caused a shudder to 
pass over the people of the Northern 
states. While they did not believe that 
a war of such magnitude, or of such 
long duration, as it was afterwards 
proven, could possibly be upon us, yet 

i they dreaded the possibility of having 

I to p«irticipate in a bloody war, no 
matter how small. Still there was a 
quiet determination to stand by the old 
flag, and to preserve the constitution. 

I Presi'lent Lincoln made a call for 
seventy-five thousand troops, for three 
months' service, which was thought by 
many to be a sufficient time to quell the 
rebellion and maintain the goverment. 

I Three months to quell a rebellion, with 
seventy-five thousand men, which took 



34 



four years, and thousands upon thous- 
ands of human lives, and millions up- 
on millions of dollars! 

This call for seventy-five thousand 

troops was promptly responded to by 

three Springport boys, Warren E. 

Brezett, William Bell and Edward 

Hammond, who enlisted in Co. E. 1st 
Mich. Regiment. We had no railroad 
to Springport at that time, and the 
boys went overland to Jackson to enlist. 
When they reached there they found 
the company had left for Washington, 
and they immediately followed after. 
The news of the firing on Fort Sump- 
tor was first brought to Springport by 
a man named Rogers, who came down 
from Parma on foot. It reminded one 
of the story of how the news of the old 
war reached Farmer, afterwards 
General Putman. The three boys 
above referred to, were among the 
first^to enter the enemy's country, and 
took part in the battle of Bull Run. 
No doubt but that they did some tall 
running along with the rest of the boys. 
They were not quite able to keep up 
with the Washington gentry who went 
to witness the fun, and see the Johnnys 
driven clean into Richmond. But they 
didn't do it just the same. After their 
time had expired they re-enlisted for 
three years, or during the war. Ed- 
ward Hammond re-enlisted in the 12th 
Regulars, and lost his life at Malvirn 
Hill, July 20th, 1862, and was buried be- 
neath the soil of the sunny south. 
Warren E. Brezett and Wm. Bell came 
all through the war and were honorab- 
ly discharged at its close. The former 
is now living at Albion, Mich., and the 
latter in Iowa. 

When the call came for three hun- 
dred thousand men for three years, 
Springport's quota was promptly filled, 
as was every subsequent call. 



CO, I, 6th, REG. MICH. VOLUNTEERS 



was composed of the following Spring- 
port boys : 

Wm. H, McNeil, enlisted Aug., 1861, 
killed at Baton Rouge, La., Aug. 5, '62. 

Wm. J. Burgess, enlisted Aug. 3, '61 
Mustered Aug. 20, '61. Corporal Nov. 
1, '62. Sergent Jan. 1, '64. Re-en- 
listed Feb. 1, '64, at Port Hudson, La. 
Mustered Feb. 22, '64, First Sergent, 
Nov. 2, '64. Discharged to accept pro- 
motion Jan. 19, '65. Commissioned 
Second Lieutenant, Aug. 12, '64. 
Mustered Jan. 20, '65. Mustered out 
at New Orleans, La., Aug. 20, '65. 

James F. Deyoe, enlisted Aug. '61, 
as Private. Promoted to Corporal Oct. 
'63. Re-enlisted Feb '64. Promoted 
to duty Sergent June '65. Discharged 
Aug. 2f), '65, at close of war. Died 
March 17, 1900, at Candy, Oregon. 

Barnett Swope, enlisted Aug. '61, 
wounded at Port Hudson, La., May 27, 
'63, was discharged Sept. 18, '63, for 
disability. Residence Wheeler, Gratiot 
county, Mich. 

S. D. Curtis, enlisted Aug. '61, dis- 
charged Aug. 20, '64, time of service 
expired. A resident of Springport un- 
til recently, when he removed to the 
Soldiers Home at Grand Rupids, where 
he now lives 

Geo. E Harris, enlisted Aug. '61, 

discharged Aug. 20' '64, time of service 

expired. Is now a resident of Spring- 
port. 

John Street, enlisted Aug. 8, 1861. 
Mustered Aug. 20, 1861. Re-enlisted 
Feb. 1, 1864, at Port Hudson, La. 
Mustered Feb. 22, 1864. Wagoner Aug. 
20, 1 864. Deserted at Fort Gaines, Ala. , 
July 9, 1865. 

Alvah S Dodd, enlisted Aug. 1861, 
died at Port Hudson, La , Aug. 14, '63. 

James E. Doak, enlisted Aug. 1861, 
returned home and has since died. 

Nelson R. Stevens, enlisted Aug. 13, 



35. 



1861, Mustered Aug. 20, 1861. Corpor- 

alJuly 30, 1863. Re-enlisted Feb. 1, 

1864, at Port Hudson, La. Mustered 

Feb. 22, 1864. Sergeant Aug. 20, 1862. 

Mustert-d out at New Orleans, La., 
Aug 20, 1865. 

George Coldstrean, enlisted Aug. '61, 
died in Marine hospital, New Orleans, 
La., Nov. 7, 1862. 

John Steel, enlisted March 1864. 
Was a resident of Charlesworth for a 
number of years. Died in the Soldiers 
Home at Grand Rapids, March 1910. 

R. H. Deyoe, enlisted March 1854. 
Whs a resident of Fairmont, North 
Dakota, until his death in 1900. 

Ruben Stevens, enlisted March 1864. 
Died at Natchiz, Miss., Sept. 5, 1864. 

Henry Childs, enlisted March 1844, 
died at New Orleans, La. 

Tho 6th Regiment had its head- 
quarters at Kalsmazoo, Mich., and on 
Aug. 30, 1862, it was ordered south 
and went to Baltimore, Md., where it 
remained during the winter of 1861-2, 
at a place called Camp Makin, on 
Makin Hill, Baltimore, Md. On the 
22d day of Feb , 1862 the regiment left 
Baltimore for Newport News, Va., 
and from there to Ship Island, sailing 
around the coast of Florida, and 
reached Ship Island on the 4th day of 
March, 1862, where it remained until 
April 14th, '62, when they embarked 
on the sailing vessel, Great Republic, 
lor the mouth of the Mississippi river, 
at which place they lay until the Forts, 
Jackson, and St. Philops, surrendered 
to Admiral Porter. They were then 
taken on Lighters and carried up the 
river, and on the 2d day of May entered 
ihe city of New Orleans, and took pos- 
session of the United States Mint at 
that place. When the boat swung into 
shore a rope was thrown, and a man on 
shore ordered to make it fast, but m- 
stead of doing so he threw it into the 
water. A second time it was thrown 



and the Sargeant of the regiment drew 
his revolver and ordered him to make 
it fast, and he immediately complied 
with the order. And the Sixth Michi- 
gan was the first to enter the city. 
The regiment was engaged in the fol- 
lowing battles and skirmishes: 

Seville Point, Va., March 5, 1862 
Port Jackson, La., April 25, 1826. 
Vicksburg, Miss., May 20, 1862. 
Grand Gulf, Miss., May 27, 1862. 
Arnite River, Miss., June 20, 1862. 
Baton Rouge, La., Aug. 5-17, 1862. 

This was one of the hardest fought 
little battles of the war, and where the 
first Springport boy lost his life, and 
lies buried near the spot where he fell, 
mourned by many people of Spring- 
port. 

Bayon Teache, La., Jan. 14, 1863. 

Penchetoola, La., May, 16, 1863. 

Seige, of Port Hudson, May 23 to 
June 30, 1863. 

Tunica Bayod, La., Nov. 8, 1863. 

Ashton, Ark., June 24, 1864. 

Fort Morgan, Ala., Aug. 30, 1864. 

Spanish Fort, Ala., April 1865. 

Penchhtoole, La., March 24-6, 1863. 

Barataria, La., April 7, 1863. 

Tickfaw River, La., and Fort Blak- 
ley, Ala., April 1865. 

Fort Hunger, Fort Tracy, and siege 
of Mobile, Ala., March 20, to April 12, 
1865. 

The total enrollment of the Sixth 
Regiment Mich. Infantry was 1,957, 
officers and men. Its losses being 542, 
of which two officers and 43 men were 
killed in active service; 21 died from 
wounds received, and six officers and 
470 men died from disease, being a 
total of .542 men and officers. 

By the flow of the inland river, 
Whence the fleets of iron have fled. 
Where the blades of grove grass 
quiver. 
Asleep are the ranks of the dead. 

— Michigan in the War. 



36. 



July 9th. 1865, this regiment took 
the steamer at New Orleans, with or- 
ders to report to Maj. Gen. Sheridan 
where it arrived on the 11th and en- 
camped at Greenville. There it was 
furnished with new camp equipage and 
wagon train and put in condition for 
service in Texas, but on the 5th of 
August orders were received for its 
muster out, which was accomplished on 
the 20th, and on the 23d the regiment 
started for Michigan, proceeding by 
steamer to Cario, where it arrived on 
the 28th, and thence by rail to Jackson, 
Mich , arriving there on the 30th, and 
on the 5th of Sept. 1865, they were 
paid off and discharged. 



COMPANY E. TWENTIETTH REGIMENT 
MICH. INFANTRY 

Was largely composed of fSpringort 
boys. Mr. Frank Porter took active 
part in raising this company and went 
out with them as 2d Lieutenant, was 
made 1st Lieutenant, and returned with 
the shoulder straps of a Major. 

Francis Porter. Parma. First Lt. 
20th Inf'y, July 29, 1862. Capt Jan. 
9, 1863. Wounded in action at Knox- 
ville, Tenn., Nov. 21, 1863. Wounded 
in action near Petersburg, Va., July 
30, 1864. Maj., Dec, 20, 1864.' Lt. 
Col., Mar. 11, 1865. Mustered out as 
Maj., May 30, 1865, and honorably dis- 
charged. 

The following is copied from the 
Signal of May 17. 1903: 

Maj. Frank Porter, one of the gal- 
lant officers of the o!d Twentieth Repi 
ment, Michigan Infantry, was found 
dead in his bed at his home, 408 Brook- 
lyn Ave., Detroit, Sunday morning. 
When he retired Saturday evening he 
was in his usual good health and spirits, 
and death claimed him as he slept. He 
was 79 years of age and the greater 



part of his life had been spent in the 
service of his country. 

Maj. Porter lived in Jackson pre- 
vious to the civil war. He went there 
with his father who was one of the 
contractors engaged in the construction^ 
of the state prison, at an early date in' 
Jackson's history. 

His father subsequently purchased a- 
farm in Springport, where the family 
lived many years. Maj. Porter was 
working on the farm when he responded 
to the call of President Lincoln and 
joined the army. He was a member 
of Fairbanks Post, G. A. R. Besides 
his widow he leaves two children. Dr. 
Phil Porter and Mrs. James. The re- 
mains were brought here for b"7ria! 
Tuesday afternon, being met at the 
train by a large number of relativesy 
friends and members' of the G. A. R. 
Post. 

The boys from Springport were: 

Frank Porter Lewis Scoby 

Charles Scoby George Dodd 

Charles E. Pickett Henry McConkey 
*Dan'l Bartershaw Ed. Briminstool 

D. Carson Thomas Whipple 

J. McAllister Henry Livingston 

John Bullen Chas. Henderson 

Henry Henderson M. L. Bridinstine 

Adam Austin Samuel Austin 

Thuo. Carpenter Wm. Beck 

T. J. Saxton George Markle 

John Seavy William Shaft r 

Lewis Wood Mark Benson 

Wm. Bockoven *Alonzo Hayden 

Albert C. Miner Wm. Bridenstine 

John Bennett James Bennett 

This regiment was quartered at Jack- 
son until the quoto was filled and then 
moved to Washington, D C. , from 
there to Alaxandrn. V;i., from there to 
Ft. Dodge, north of Washington. It 
was whilp there th-it the.v had their 



^Killed at Spottsylvania C. H.. Va. 



37. 



first experience in getting ready for 
what they supposed was going to be a 
fight, which did not come off, however, 
some of the boys thought their time 
had come. The regiment marched from 
here to Fredericksburgh, Va., and took 
part in that famous battle of Dec. 12, 
13 and 14, 1862, was also engaged in 
siege of Knoxville, Tenn., and lay 
penned in for thirty days on short ra- 
tions, until Sherman came up and let 
them out of a hot box. Also in the 
fight at Spottsylvania, C. H., Va., 
Cold Harbor, Vicksliurg, Tenn., and 
Jackson, Miss., also was at the final 
battle and winding up of the rebellion 
at Petersburgh, Va. 

Charles E. Pickett received a gun- 
shot wound in his left arm, and Charles 
Scoby was killed while engaged in ty- 
ing up Pickett's arm to keep him from 
bleeding to death. Adam Austin was 
taken prisoner and lay in Libby and 
Andersonville for a long time, and was 
finally exchanged and returned home. 

This regiment crossed the Rappa- 
hannock Dec. 13, 1862, being in the 
reserve at the battle of Fredericks- 
burgh. Its loss was only 11 wounded, 
and most of them only slightly. After 
the return to camp near Falmouth the 
regiment suffered much from sickness. 
Embarking at Aquia Creek, Feb. 19, 
1863, for Newport News, it was favor- 
ably located at that point, the health 
and spirits of the men rapidly improved. 
Leaving Newport News March 19, 
1863, it proceeded via Baltimore, Parks- 
burgh and Cincinnati for KentucKy. 
On the 19th day of May a detachment 
of 100 men having been dispatched to 
break up a party of gorillas, and were 
attacked on their return by the advance 
guards of the Rebel forces under Gen. 
John H. Morgan, and were obliged to 
fail back with a heavy loss. They 
were attacked the following morning 
by Morgan's entire force at the nar- 



rows of the Horse Shoe Bend, on the 
Columbian river. The fight lasted all 
day, and Morgan finally retiring with a 
loss of some 300 to 400 men. The loss 
of the 20th was only 29, of whom 5 
were killed, 19 wounded and 5 missing. 
The regiment then fell back to Colum- 
bia, and on the 3rd of June received 
orders to proceed to Vicksburg, to- 
gether with the balance of 9th Corps, 
to reinforce Gen. U. S. Grant. It 
aided fortifying Haynes Bluff and Oak 
Ridge, and on the surrender of Vicks- 
burgh the regiment moved with the 
army to Jackson, Miss. 

July 10 and 11, 1863, it was engaged 
in skirmishing before that place, with 
a loss of three wounded. After the 
evacuation of Jackson, Miss., the 20th 
was sent to Madison Station to destroy 
the railroad. July 24 it again reached 
Hayne's Bluff. In this campaign the 
heat was terrible and many gave out on 
the march, which lasted twenty days. 
While in Mississippi the regiment lost 
by death from disease eighteen men 
and two officers, and at times nearly 
one-half of the regiment was sick. 
Embarking Aug. 3d, they proceeded to 
Kentucky, and on the 10th of Septem- 
ber took part in the movement on Knox- 
ville, Tenn. , going by way of Cumber- 
land Gap. They took part in the en- 
gagement of Blue Springs, Oct. 10. 
1863, with a loss of one killed, and two 
wounded. From Nov. 1 to 27 they 
were encamped on Peeble's farm, just 
south-east of Petersburgh, Va., and 
was engaged on picket duty and build- 
ing fortifycations. On the 28th of 
November it moved to the extreme 
right of the line east of Petersburgh, 
and took its position in the trenches 
during the night, occupying battery 9, 
near the Appomattox river. The 
enemy had its sharp shooters posted in 
convenient positions, who kept up a 
continuous fire through the night, kill- 



38. 



ing several men belonging to this regi- 
ment. During the winter the regi- 
ment continued in that position, within 
range of the enemy's fire from mortor 
batteries in front, and also on the right 
flank from batteries across the Ap- 
pomaotox river, mounted with White- 
worth and sixty-four pound rifle guns. 
The picket trenches being only about 
two hundred yards apart at that point 
from those of the enemy, consequent- 
ly much annoyance and danger was ex- 
perienced from the fire of the pickets. 

Owing to the insufficiency of shelter 
and scarcity of fuel, the men in the 
trenches suffered much hardship. 
About March Ist the enemy was ob- 
served strengthening their works in 
front as if they expected an assault. 

On the 13th the regiment was under 
arms, anticipating an attack. On the 
15th it had orders to be ready to move 
at a minuet's notice. 

The sick was sent to City Point, and 
the men ordered to sleep on their arms 
every night. On the morning of the 
25th of March, at about four o'clock, 
they were arroused by a cry of "A 
charge!" and the men were immediace- 
ly ordered to the works. As it was 
still dark no one seemed to understand 
the nature or extent of the attack. 
There was firing heard on the left and 
it was soon learned that the enemy had 
captured Fort Stedman, and that they 
were swinging around to the right in 
the rear with the purpose of capturing 
all on the right of the captured Fort, 
and nothing but the vigilance and 
bravery of the 20th regiment, together 
with the 2d Mich., which occupied the 
line between battery 9 and Fort Sted- 
man, prevented the success of this 
movement. 

All the rebel batteries in front of the 
position was opened up on the 20th and 
2nd Mich., also the guns of the cap- 



tured Fort, while the rebels were 
pouring in at the breech, and at the 
same time preparing for a charge in 
front. The 17th Mich, advancing from 
division headquarteis charged rapidly 
on the advance in front but was driven 
back, reforming, it again charged, the 
20th and 2nd Mich, charging gallantly 
on the right. Covered by the guns of 
Fort McGilvery the enemy seeing that 
success was impossible, became utter- 
ly demoralized and retreated hastily 
and in disorder to their works. During 
this attack the 20th regiment lost nine 
and three were mortally wounded. 

SEVENTH CAVALRY 

Had with them the following boys, 
who were credited to Springport, al- 
though they did not live in Springport 
at that time, they enlisted and were 
credited from here: 

Harmon D. Yoxhimer, Enlisted in 
company E. , Seventh Cavalry, Sept 1, 
1864, at Springport, for one year, age 
20. Mustered Sept. 1, 1864. Dis- 
charged at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., 
July 17, 1865. Present residence 
Springport, Mich. 

Alfred D. Colestock, Enlisted in 
company E., Seventh Cavalry, Sept. 1, 
1864, at Springport, for one year, age 
28. Mustered Sept. 1, 1864. Dis- 
charged at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., 
July 17, 1865. Died in this village Feb. 
26, 1906. 

EIGHTH CAVALRY 

Noah Town, another Springport boy, 
was a member of the eighth Cavalry 
which participated in a number of im- 
portant battles of the war in the states 
of Tennessee and Kentucky. Was 
mustered out at Nashville, Tenn , Sept. 
22, 1865, returning to Jackson, Mich,, 
on the 28th. where the regiment was 
disbanded. Mr. Town was a resident 
of Springport until his death, which 
occured Nov. 13, 1906. 



39. 



NINTH CAVALRY 
Had with them the following Spring- 
port boys: Edward Ferris, George 
Orrison and George Battershaw. All 
were taken prisoners at Bean's Station, 
Tenii., Dec. 16, 1863, and Ferris and 
Orrison died in I>ibby Prison. The 
former Mar. 23, 1864. Battershaw re- 
turned to this place where he lived a 
number of years. Then moving to 
Concord township. His present resi- 
dence is unknown. 

ELEVENTH CAVALRY 

The members of this regiment from 
this township were Joel M. Hicks, 
Richard Carpenter and Henry Hender- 
son. The regiment was organized at 
Kalamazoo, Mich., Dec. 10, 1863. Soon 
after being ordered to Lexington, Ky., 
where Joel Hicks died. The regiment 
saw severe service in the states of 
Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, 
South Carolina and Georgia. Carpenter 
and Henderson returned to this town- 
ship where they lived a number of 
years, Carpenter moving to the north- 
ern part of the state where he now 
lives. Henderson moved to Iowa where 
he died a number of years ago. 

FOURTH CAVALRY 

Was organized in the city of Detroit, 
September 1862. The only representa- 
tive of the regiment now living in this 
township is Dr. James B. Judson, who 
enlisted in Co. D. on Aug. 8, 1862, and 
served through the many battles and 
skirmishes through which the regiment 
passed in the nearly three years, in- 
cluding the very important campaign 
resulting in the capture of Jeff. Davis 
near Irwinsville, Ga., May 10, 1865. 
Dr. Judson was one of the detail of 
128 men and five officers from the 4th 
Michigan that made the capture of the 
noted Confederate Chief, and was one 
of those to receive prize money for his 
capture, getting about $300 for his 



share. The regiment soon moved to 
Nashville, Tenn., where it was mustered 
out July 1st 1865. 



Springport's Firsts. 

As recently published in these col- 
umns, John S. Comestock and James 
A. Preston and family were the first 
settlers in this town. Mr. Comstock 
erected the first residence in the spring 
of 1835, and shortly after built the first 
barn and dug the first well (yet in use 
on Geo. Myers' farm.) Mr. C. was 
first to bring domestic animals here. 
The first frame structure was an ad- 
dition built on the log house of John 
Ford, section 33, John E. Dey doing 
the carpenter work. Mr. Dey soon 
after built the first frame house, for 
Wm. Ludlow, section 25. The honor of 
being the first child born in this town- 
ship probably belongs to Caius C. 
Brown, of Albion, Mich., who was 
born on section 26, Aug 8. 1837, as the 
first boy, and Mariah J. Comstock was 
the first girl, born Jan. 4, 1838. 

The first wedding was a Mr. and Mrs. 
Smith, in 1836, at the Jameson house 
on section 13. The first death was • 
Mr. Adams, who lived on section 9, 
and died late in the year 1836. The 
first accident resulting in death was 
that of Lucius Dixon, March 12, 1850, 
killed by a falling tree. The first sui- 
cide, Mr. Hiram Ismond, (of Parma,) 
who hung himself near Springport, 
east of the Ludlow old barn, section 26, 
in the year 1852 or 3. The first re- 
ligious meeting was conducted by Rev. 
Marcus Harrison. The first school, by 
Mrs. Maria Dey. The first plowing 
took place on the farm of J. S. Com- 
stock, section 28, by N. Townly, as- 
sisted by his son, Richard, of Tompkins. 
The first grain drill was operated by 
Darius Carson for John Landon, fall of 



40. 



1858. The first grain thresher, by ox 
power, was introduced by Lyman and 
Jarvis Cady, in 1838 or 9; the first 
thresher and separator, by a Mr. Bab- 
cock, in J. S. Comstock's barn in 1841, 
being a great marvel to the farmers in 
that vicinity. Steam as a threshing 
motor was first used by D. C. Peters in 
1877. The first mowing machine — a 
Wheeler— was brought from Jackson 
and exhibited by a Mr. Fisher on the 
Oren Gillett farm, nearly a half mile 
east of the Landon school house, in the 
season of 1855, Geo. Landon being the 
operator. In the year 1858 Edmund 
Ferris purchased the first mower and 
hand rake reaper— a Kirby; the first 
self rake reaper— a Wood— by Nathan- 
iel Hicks, section 33, in the harvest of 
1863; the first self binder— the Osborn 
wire— by Geo. Landon, harvest of 1876. 
Several twine binders were first used in 
the harvest of 1881. In the lot where 
the first mowing machine was used, on 
the Gillett place, the first horse rake 
was started in 1851 or 52, the machine 
being similar to the wheel-rake of to- 
day, with the exception of there being 
no wheels, the operator walking be- 
hind; when a sufficient quantity had 
been gathered for the windrow it was 
lifted bodily over by the convenient 
handles, the raising process of course 
making the dump. On this occasion 
Jarvis Henderson was the operator, 
using a spirited horse, which, being un- 
used to such a device, soon became un- 
manageable. As Mr. H. expressed it 
afterward, he "hung on, bore and for- 
bore, until forbearance ceased to be a 
virtue, when he let the * * horse go, 
rake and all." It went, and soon re- 
duced the rake to kindlings, which 
ended the horse rake experiment until 
1855, when the revolving rake ap- 
peared as one of the greatest farm 
labor saving machines of the age. The 
sulky rake appeared about the year 



1862 or 63. The horse hay fork was 
first used m 1863. The first windmill 
for pumping water was erected by E. 

A. Landon in the winter of 1868-69. 
The first sewing machine was used by 
Mrs. E. Ferris, in 1858. The first 
brick residence was James M. Jame- 
son's on section 13. The first saw mill 
in the village was built by Nathaniel 
Hicks, in the spring of 1854, he soon 
added a grist mill on the north end of 
the saw mill, in the winter of 1856 he 
traded the mill with John C. Mott for 
his farm now owned by Albert Smith, 
south of the village. During the next 
summer the mill burned and Mr. Mott 
erected a saw mill a few rods east of 
where this one stood, on the same side 
of the road he then sold this mill to 
Mr. Bolles, who moved it away about 
three miles north-west of here. In 
1860 Andrew Goodyear built the present 
grist mill and also the house west of 
the mill where he lived for some time. 
He soon sold the mill to John Oyer, re- 
serving the use of the basement, where 
he manufactured hubs for the Michi- 
gan State Prison a number of years. 
John Oyer built the present saw mill, 
this being the third saw mill in this 
village. 

The first planing machine was used 
in building the present house of Mr. 

B. G. Brown, section 34, by Harvey 
Wheeler, in 1852 or 1853 This was 
run by horse power. The first planing 
mill run by steam was started by R. H. 
Deyoe and Dewitt C. Huffman, in the 
building next north of the Ladies' 
Library on Mechanic street, in 1871. 
In addition to dressing lumber; mould- 
ings and shingles were manufactured. 
While working there our esteemed 
townsman, Edward Saxton, had the 
misfortune to loose a part of one arm. 
The first lumber yard was established 
in this village in 1873, by Chas. L. 
Wiley; sash, door and blind factory in 



41. 



1877, by James F. Cook and Henry 
Weldon. Soon after R. B. Hoag joined 
the company till 1877, when Cook sold 
to others, who run it until Weldon sold 
to Hoag. In 1895 he sold one half 
interest to Lester Hoag, and in 1908 
his remaining interest to Houseman 
Brothers. 

The first blacksmith shop was lo- 
cated near Doak's corners, section 30, 
in 1838, by Isaac B. Gates The first 
lawsuit was the Landon district vs. 
John Ford, in 1840. 

THE FIRST POSTOFFICE 

Established in the township of Spring- 
port, was at Oyer's Corners, early in 
January, 1838. Augustus F. Gaylord 
was the first postmaster, holding that 
office until he moved away in 1853. A 
weekly mail to and from Albion, via. 
Hickory Grove, (Quakertown) was 
carried by Francis Hall. The route 
was shortly after changed to Marshall, 
via. Duck Lake and Rice Creek church, 
Hickory Grove being supplied by the 
Cayuga carrier. Cayuga post-office 
was established in the spring of 1838. 
M. S. Brown was postmaster during 
its twenty years continuence, with the 
exception of about four years, which 
Luther H. Ludlow held— 1849-53. A 
weekly mail was carried to and from 
Smithfield, (D. C. Vickery's residence) 
via. Hickory Grove. Myron Gillett 
carried the first mail on foot, in a small 
tin box that he borrowed from Mrs. 
Brown for that purpose. The office 
was discontinued in 1858, the people in 
that vicinity being accommodated by 
the Parma village office until the rail- 
road to Springport in 1872, turned the 
tide in mail matters as well as many 
others. 

Rural delivery out of Springport 
village was established June 4, 1900, 
with Wm. McNiel as first carrier, soon 
after J. S. Geiger was appointed as 



carrier No. 2. The present force: 
Fred McQuown, Ard Ludlow, Perry L. 
Burgess and Lonnie Bennett serve the 
patrons on the four routes at present 
established. 

Otter Creek post office was establish- 
ed in 1839, Daniel Griffith being the 
first postmaster. A weekly mail was 

. carried to and from Onondaga, via. 

I Tompkins Center. George French was 
the first mail carrier. 



Pioneers of Springport 

Oh, river of time, in your onward flow. 

Pause a moment to-day ere you fur- 
ther go, 

And back through the vista of fifty 
years 

We will cast a glance at our pioneers. 

Our fathers and mothers, that noble 

band 
Of brave men and women who came 

to this land 
When 'twas but a forest, covered all 

o'er 
With the rank growth of centuries 

long gone before. 

How dense were the forests, how dark 
was the shade. 

How pois'nous the waters of wood- 
land and glade. 

Sending pestilence out on the air. 

Filling with terror this land, now so 
fair. 

Do you think it was nothing to come 

here and live? 
The homes of their youth for their 

new ones to give? 
To sever old ties and come forth alone, 
And create when they came a home 

of their own? 

The privations they suffered we never 
can tell. 

But we know they endured them both 
nobly and well. 

There was seed-time and harvest, each 
in its turn. 

But first, trees to cut down and log- 
heaps to burn. 

There were clearings to plow ere the 

seed could be planted or sown, 
And cabins to build, with chimneys of 



42. 



mud, sticks and stone; 
There were roots to dig out ere the 

crops were got in; 
It is strange that they knew when, or 

where to begin. 

How many troubles or trials they met 

on their way, 
Or how often they wearied, we never 

can say. 
There was hunger and cold, there 

was sorrow and tears. 
There was sickness and death for the 

brave pioneers. 

No postman to bring the news day 

by day, 
Scarce a letter to cheer them from 

friends far away; 
And if one was received in that early 

day, 
Not two, but twenty-five cents, was 

the postage to pay. 
Not often a stranger's foot pressed on 

their floor; 
The red man alone came as guest to 

their door. 

Yet they had their amusements, such 

pleasures as these— 
Choppings, loggings and raisings 

and all kinds of "bees;" 
There was hunting and trapping the 

wild beasts of prey, 
And fish were more plently, no doubt, 

in that day. 

Yet, mingled, with all, the good and 

the bad, 
Were the heartsick home-longings 

that most of them had. 
How great the forebodings of women 

and men, 
The stoutest of hearts must have had 

now and then. 

But they stood at their posts, each 

did nobly his share; 
If one fell by the wayside another 

was there 
To take up the burden his brother 

laid down. 
To clear up the forests and build up 

the town. 

Ah, prithee! The change which we 

see at a glance, 
Do you think it was wrought by mere 

magic or chance? 
Ah, no, 'twas not magic, it took years 

of toil 
To mow down the forest and mellow 

the soil. 



The world called them foolish— those 

who gave their best days 
To the pioneer's labors— but now 

sings their praise. 
Do you smile at the change? Its cause 

can you guess? 
Ah! there's nothing succeeds quite so 

well as success. 

Half a century only since their work 
was begun. 

Can we measure the time by the deeds 
they have done? 

Let us see at the end of the first decade 

What progress our fathers and moth- 
ers have made. 

They have built their log cabins and 
cleared off the ground. 

So that neighboring cabins are seen 
all around. 

Churches and school houses dot the 
scene here and there; 

Young orchards are planted and be- 
ginning to bear. 

Over the streams they have bridges 

made. 
Towns are laid out and farms surveyed, 
Roads are cut through where were 

only trails, 
They have fenced their clearings with 

oaken rails. 

There are fields of corn, there are 
fields of wheat. 

And with cradles the golden grain 
they reap; 

There are fields of clover with blos- 
soms red," 

The meadows are waving where the 
Indian once tread. 

In each cabin the hum of the wheel 

is heard, 
Making music sweeter than any bird; 
Of peace and prosperity to them it 

sings. 
Wealth and contentment to them it 

brings. 

Soothed are their sorrows and anx- 
ious fears; 

All the World goes well with the pio- 
neers. 

And thus at another ten years' close 

We see the "wilderness bloom as the 
rose. ' ' 

Another ten years pass swiftly away. 
Which brings us down to the fatal 

day 
When the shot at Fort Sumpter is 

heard in the land, 



43. 



to the conflict an 



And there rushed 
eaffer band. 

But peace once restored, what changes 

are made 
And we follow the years of the next 

decade! 
The cradle now to the reaper gives 

place; 
Now the reaper by the binder loses 

the race. 

The flail which our fathers used to 

thresh out their grain 
Was displaced by the horse-power 

threshing machine; 
But the horse-power long ago had its 

sway. 
And steam is the power that threshes 

to-day. \ 

All the work that we do is done by 

machine, 
The world is on wheels and 'tis going 

by steam. 
The ox team and stage coach, with 

their slow, lumbering gait, 
Were the best means of transfer in 

this virgin state. 

Now we've steamboats and railways 
to quicken our pace. 

We've telephone wires, and can beat 
time and space; 

Postoffices scattered all over the land 

And newspapers plenty at our com- 
mand. 

We've music and books, we've science 

and art. 
There's a smile on our cheeks, and a 

joy in each heart; 
But one cloud alone dims our vision 

to-day. 
We have-ditches to dig and taxes to 

pay. 

The log cabins long since disappeared 

from our view; 
We have in their place brick and 

frame, nice and new 
We boast of our churches, our schools 

are our pride. 
And fashion and culture are seen side 

by side. 

Yet, often we hear the pioneers sigh 
For the "good old times," forever 

gone by, 
When friendship and honor, content- 
ment and health. 

Were considered far greater than 
fashion and wealth. 



But the old pioneers are fast passing 

away; 
.Few are now left whoom we meet with 

to-day. 
With the log cabin and land-marks of 

other years. 
We will soon say farewell to the old 

pioneers. 

The few that are left time has robbed 
of their bloom, 

On their brows he has set the seal of 
the tomb; 

They have done their work here- 
done it nobly and well — 

Better than tongue or pen can tell. 

They have conquered the forest and re- 
deemed the land, 

They laid the foundation oi\ which we 
stand; 

They toiled and suffered, they sowed 
the seed 

For the harvest we reap— a golden 
meed. 



feeble, 
last, 



But their steps have grown 

their locks turned gray; 
God bless and keep them, and at 

we pray. 
Take them where time and love 

dears. 
There may we meet our brave pioneers. 



en- 



The following was written by Louisa 
Sheldon Hess, a daughter of Elmer and 
Rachel Sheldon, who came to Spring- 
port in the spring of 1844, from the 
state of New York, to the then far 
"west." They first settled at Quaker- 
town and about three years after lo- 
cated in a newer part of the township, 
two miles north of the village, where 
they lived many years, clean and in- 
dustrious lives gaining a competance: 



Final. 

Seventy-five years are now of the 

past 
Since the first log house was begun; 
And we, the descendants, almost stand 

agast 
At the battles our parents have won. 

Each year as it passed brought con- 
veniences more 



44. 



To increasing inhabitants here; 

While now we can boast our surround- 
ings compare 

With the "East" which will always 
seem dear. 

The state has come forward to help 

with "good roads," 
The women for franchise rights, 
The country at large has convenient 

abodes. 
And the village, electric lights. 

Our "Uncle Sam" comes to the door 

each day 
And delivers the farmer's mail, 
And automobiles go whizzing away 
Without trolley-wire or rail. 

The flying machines, of whatever 

name. 
Go careening through the air. 
And the wireless message "just the 

same," 
Before it has started, "gets there." 

Electricity does so much for us. 

In so many different ways; 

And does it without any bustle or fuss 

The livelong nights and days 

That we will not stop to enumerate 
Another single thing; 
But pass it all on as up-to-date. 
While hoping our lives may ring 

As true as the finest steel can ring 
Without any flaw or fears, 
Emulating the lives of whom we sing 
Those loved Old Pioneers. 



A Card. — At closing our work com- 
piling a history of Springport we wish 
to return our thanks to all who have 
aided us in these labors, which have 
assumed much larger proportions than 
we anticipated at the beginning. 
However, we feel in a measure well 
repaid, believing that our labors in 
this work are appreciated, and will be 
more so by coming generations of 
those who may be so fortunate as to be 
born in our township. Further, our 
labors were begun none too soon. The 
pioneers have nearly all passed away. 
The whitened head and bended form of 
these veterans constitute but a small 
proportion of our early pilgrims. We 
had interviewed them and obtained 
what facts we could, but an accurate 
history, with the long interval of time 
since the events transpired, is very 
difficult to write. Yet, while some 
that we have accepted may be er- 
roneous, we believe that in the main it 
will be found correct. 

At least, this is the desire of 

The Author. 




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